Insights into industry and occupation, August 2020

Released

24/09/2020

Source

Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, August 2020

Between March and early May 2020, Australia saw unprecedented change in the labour market as a result of restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19 and government support packages to mitigate its impact on individuals, households and businesses. These interventions affected industries and occupations to differing extents and in different ways.

Between May and August, as employment and hours worked started to recover, there was less divergence in outcomes across the different industries and occupations, with the hardest hit industries and occupations showing recovery between May and August.

Industry and occupation information for a person's ‘main job’ is collected in the Labour Force Survey in the months of February, May, August and November. This article presents insights into changes in employment and hours worked across industries and occupations between February and May and between May and August.

Changes in employment and hours worked

In seasonally adjusted terms, between February and May, employment decreased by almost 900,000 people (or 6.7%) while hours worked decreased by 9.7%. Employment then increased by around 450,000 (3.8%) and hours worked increased by 5.6% between May and August.

Chart 1 shows the movements in employment and average hours worked across industry divisions between February and May and May and August, in original terms.

Most industries recorded an increase in both employment and average hours worked over the most recent quarter, with the largest increases recorded in Arts and recreation services (employment up 30% and average hours worked up 14%) and Accommodation and food services (employment up 17% and hours worked up 20%). These were also the industries that experienced the biggest declines between February and May. In contrast, there was a large decrease in employment in Electricity, gas, water and waste services (down 11%), following a large increase between February and May.

Chart 1: Quarterly change in employed persons and hours worked, by Industry, Original
	Employed Feb to May (%)	Average hours Feb to May (%)	Employed May to Aug (%)	Average hours May to Aug (%)
Arts and Recreation Services	-37.0	-21.3	30.2	13.7
Accommodation and Food Services	-29.8	-24.5	16.6	20.1
Transport, Postal and Warehousing	-14.7	-9.6	7.7	6.1
Administrative and Support Services	-13.2	-13.9	2.5	2.5
Information Media and Telecommunications	-11.3	-5.0	3.5	3.7
Other Services	-10.4	-18.0	-0.9	8.7
Retail Trade	-6.6	-7.0	1.6	4.0
Education and Training	-5.7	-3.4	7.4	-2.6
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services	-5.5	-3.7	0.9	4.1
Manufacturing	-5.1	-7.1	-2.2	3.7
Mining	-4.6	1.5	5.5	0.8
Health Care and Social Assistance	-4.0	-3.2	2.6	1.1
Construction	-0.5	-3.0	-2.1	-2.7
Wholesale Trade	1.0	-5.1	3.2	5.4
Public Administration and Safety	1.8	1.0	2.1	1.2
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services	2.4	-4.3	-1.7	6.5
Financial and Insurance Services	2.9	2.9	-1.2	-0.6
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	6.3	4.1	0.3	-6.5
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services	24.2	-0.5	-10.5	-0.7

["","Employed Feb to May","Average hours Feb to May","Employed May to Aug","Average hours May to Aug"]

[["Arts and Recreation Services","Accommodation and Food Services","Transport, Postal and Warehousing","Administrative and Support Services","Information Media and Telecommunications","Other Services","Retail Trade","Education and Training","Professional, Scientific and Technical Services","Manufacturing","Mining","Health Care and Social Assistance","Construction","Wholesale Trade","Public Administration and Safety","Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services","Financial and Insurance Services","Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing","Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services"],[[-37],[-29.800000000000001],[-14.699999999999999],[-13.199999999999999],[-11.300000000000001],[-10.4],[-6.5999999999999996],[-5.7000000000000002],[-5.5],[-5.0999999999999996],[-4.5999999999999996],[-4],[-0.5],[1],[1.8],[2.3999999999999999],[2.8999999999999999],[6.2999999999999998],[24.199999999999999]],[[-21.300000000000001],[-24.5],[-9.5999999999999996],[-13.9],[-5],[-18],[-7],[-3.3999999999999999],[-3.7000000000000002],[-7.0999999999999996],[1.5],[-3.2000000000000002],[-3],[-5.0999999999999996],[1],[-4.2999999999999998],[2.8999999999999999],[4.0999999999999996],[-0.5]],[[30.199999999999999],[16.600000000000001],[7.7000000000000002],[2.5],[3.5],[-0.90000000000000002],[1.6000000000000001],[7.4000000000000004],[0.90000000000000002],[-2.2000000000000002],[5.5],[2.6000000000000001],[-2.1000000000000001],[3.2000000000000002],[2.1000000000000001],[-1.7],[-1.2],[0.29999999999999999],[-10.5]],[[13.699999999999999],[20.100000000000001],[6.0999999999999996],[2.5],[3.7000000000000002],[8.6999999999999993],[4],[-2.6000000000000001],[4.0999999999999996],[3.7000000000000002],[0.80000000000000004],[1.1000000000000001],[-2.7000000000000002],[5.4000000000000004],[1.2],[6.5],[-0.59999999999999998],[-6.5],[-0.69999999999999996]]]

[]

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Chart 2 shows that Community and personal service workers experienced the largest increase in both employment (up 13%) and average hours worked (up 5%) between May and August. This follows Community and personal service workers recording the largest decrease in employment (down 22%) and average hours worked (down 10%) between February and May. Some of the occupations which recorded particularly large decreases in employment by May saw large increases by August.

Chart 2: Quarterly change in employed persons and hours worked, by Occupation, Original
	Employed Feb to May (%)	Average hours Feb to May (%)	Employed May to Aug (%)	Average hours May to Aug (%)
Community and Personal Service Workers	-21.9	-9.5	13.2	4.7
Labourers	-13.0	-5.3	4.5	3.1
Sales Workers	-12.9	-4.7	0.7	3.3
Technicians and Trades Workers	-6.0	-8.2	0.3	2.0
Machinery Operators and Drivers	-2.7	-7.0	-3.4	2.9
Managers	-2.1	-7.3	4.0	1.1
Professionals	-1.6	-1.8	2.6	0.2
Clerical and Administrative Workers	-0.9	-4.1	0.4	4.2

["","Employed Feb to May","Average hours Feb to May","Employed May to Aug","Average hours May to Aug"]

[["Community and Personal Service Workers","Labourers","Sales Workers","Technicians and Trades Workers","Machinery Operators and Drivers","Managers","Professionals","Clerical and Administrative Workers"],[[-21.899999999999999],[-13],[-12.9],[-6],[-2.7000000000000002],[-2.1000000000000001],[-1.6000000000000001],[-0.90000000000000002]],[[-9.5],[-5.2999999999999998],[-4.7000000000000002],[-8.1999999999999993],[-7],[-7.2999999999999998],[-1.8],[-4.0999999999999996]],[[13.199999999999999],[4.5],[0.69999999999999996],[0.29999999999999999],[-3.3999999999999999],[4],[2.6000000000000001],[0.40000000000000002]],[[4.7000000000000002],[3.1000000000000001],[3.2999999999999998],[2],[2.8999999999999999],[1.1000000000000001],[0.20000000000000001],[4.2000000000000002]]]

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People working zero hours

Chart 3 shows that between May and August 2020, most industries recorded a decrease in people who worked zero hours. This followed large increases in many industries between February and May.

Chart 3: Quarterly change in people working zero hours, by Industry, Original
	Feb to May (%)	May to Aug (%)
Other Services	239.7	-41.6
Arts and Recreation Services	181.3	-43.9
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services	114.3	-26.1
Accommodation and Food Services	73.1	-47.8
Administrative and Support Services	51.5	-19.4
Transport, Postal and Warehousing	39	-31.2
Education and Training	34.2	-5.2
Manufacturing	24	-22.7
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services	18.4	-43.6
Retail Trade	15.1	-19.7
Information Media and Telecommunications	13.3	-31.4
Health Care and Social Assistance	4.4	3.6
Wholesale Trade	-0.5	-37.3
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services	-2.1	-24.6
Construction	-15.1	15.8
Mining	-23.8	-4.7
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	-27.1	-21.2
Public Administration and Safety	-29.6	-4.1
Financial and Insurance Services	-32.9	28.9

["","Feb to May","May to Aug"]

[["Other Services","Arts and Recreation Services","Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services","Accommodation and Food Services","Administrative and Support Services","Transport, Postal and Warehousing","Education and Training","Manufacturing","Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services","Retail Trade","Information Media and Telecommunications","Health Care and Social Assistance","Wholesale Trade","Professional, Scientific and Technical Services","Construction","Mining","Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing","Public Administration and Safety","Financial and Insurance Services"],[[239.69999999999999],[181.30000000000001],[114.3],[73.099999999999994],[51.5],[39],[34.200000000000003],[24],[18.399999999999999],[15.1],[13.300000000000001],[4.4000000000000004],[-0.5],[-2.1000000000000001],[-15.1],[-23.800000000000001],[-27.100000000000001],[-29.600000000000001],[-32.899999999999999]],[[-41.600000000000001],[-43.899999999999999],[-26.100000000000001],[-47.799999999999997],[-19.399999999999999],[-31.199999999999999],[-5.2000000000000002],[-22.699999999999999],[-43.600000000000001],[-19.699999999999999],[-31.399999999999999],[3.6000000000000001],[-37.299999999999997],[-24.600000000000001],[15.800000000000001],[-4.7000000000000002],[-21.199999999999999],[-4.0999999999999996],[28.899999999999999]]]

[]

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Chart 4 shows the percentage change in the number of employed people who worked zero hours between May and August (and February and May), for each occupation group.

Chart 4: Quarterly change in people working zero hours, by Occupation, Original
	Feb to May (%)	May to Aug (%)
Community and Personal Service Workers	54.1	-26.4
Managers	45.5	-22.7
Machinery Operators and Drivers	45.2	-29.9
Technicians and Trades Workers	26.7	-7.3
Labourers	24.1	-29.6
Professionals	-6.3	-2.6
Clerical and Administrative Workers	-6.6	-25.1
Sales Workers	-9.0	-11.7

["","Feb to May","May to Aug"]

[["Community and Personal Service Workers","Managers","Machinery Operators and Drivers","Technicians and Trades Workers","Labourers","Professionals","Clerical and Administrative Workers","Sales Workers"],[[54.100000000000001],[45.5],[45.200000000000003],[26.699999999999999],[24.100000000000001],[-6.2999999999999998],[-6.5999999999999996],[-9]],[[-26.399999999999999],[-22.699999999999999],[-29.899999999999999],[-7.2999999999999998],[-29.600000000000001],[-2.6000000000000001],[-25.100000000000001],[-11.699999999999999]]]

[]

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Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed Table 12

People moving into or out of industries and occupations

In addition to looking at net changes in the number of people employed in each industry and occupation, it is also useful to look at the flows out of each industry and occupation. The following analysis, which repeats and builds on analysis in Insights into industry and occupation in the May issue of this release, draws upon data from Microdata: Longitudinal Labour Force, Australia, 1982-2020.

Chart 5 shows, for people employed in each industry in May, the proportion who were:

still employed in the same industry in August;
still employed in August but in a different industry; or
no longer employed in August.

People employed in Wholesale trade in May were the most likely to remain employed in August, but were also the most likely to be employed in a different industry in August. Financial and insurance services, Health care and social assistance and Education and training had the highest proportion of people remaining employed in the same industry between May and August.

Administrative and support services, Accommodation and food services and Arts and recreation services had the lowest proportion of people remaining employed in August.

Chart 5: Whether remained employed, by Industry in August
	Same industry in Aug as May (%)	Different industry in Aug (%)	Not employed in Aug (%)
Financial and Insurance Services	90	7	3
Health Care and Social Assistance	89	7	4
Education and Training	89	7	4
Mining	84	15	2
Accommodation and Food Services	83	8	9
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	82	12	7
Public Administration and Safety	81	16	3
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services	79	17	4
Retail Trade	79	17	4
Transport, Postal and Warehousing	79	14	7
Construction	78	17	6
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services	78	19	4
Information Media and Telecommunications	76	22	2
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services	73	21	6
Other Services	72	23	5
Arts and Recreation Services	72	21	8
Manufacturing	71	26	3
Administrative and Support Services	63	28	10
Wholesale Trade	58	40	2

["","Same industry in Aug as May","Different industry in Aug","Not employed in Aug"]

[["Financial and Insurance Services","Health Care and Social Assistance","Education and Training","Mining","Accommodation and Food Services","Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing","Public Administration and Safety","Professional, Scientific and Technical Services","Retail Trade","Transport, Postal and Warehousing","Construction","Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services","Information Media and Telecommunications","Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services","Other Services","Arts and Recreation Services","Manufacturing","Administrative and Support Services","Wholesale Trade"],[[89.900000000000006],[88.700000000000003],[88.599999999999994],[83.900000000000006],[83.099999999999994],[81.5],[81],[79.200000000000003],[79.099999999999994],[79.099999999999994],[77.700000000000003],[77.599999999999994],[76],[73.200000000000003],[72],[71.5],[71.200000000000003],[62.5],[58.100000000000001]],[[6.9000000000000004],[7.2999999999999998],[7.4000000000000004],[14.699999999999999],[8.1999999999999993],[11.5],[16.300000000000001],[17.100000000000001],[17.300000000000001],[13.699999999999999],[16.5],[18.5],[22.300000000000001],[20.699999999999999],[23.300000000000001],[20.699999999999999],[25.699999999999999],[27.899999999999999],[40.299999999999997]],[[3.2000000000000002],[3.8999999999999999],[4.0999999999999996],[1.5],[8.6999999999999993],[7],[2.7000000000000002],[3.7000000000000002],[3.7000000000000002],[7.2000000000000002],[5.7999999999999998],[3.7999999999999998],[1.7],[6.0999999999999996],[4.7000000000000002],[7.7999999999999998],[3.1000000000000001],[9.5999999999999996],[1.5]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"10","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"%","precision":"0","table_units":"(%)","tooltip_units":"(%)","axis_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Source: Longitudinal Labour Force Microdata

Almost 20% of the people who moved from being not employed in May to being employed in August were working in Accommodation and food services in August (Chart 6). Retail trade (11%), Health care and social assistance (10%) and Education and training (9%) also employed a high proportion of the people who moved from not being employed in May.

Chart 6: People not employed in May and employed in August, by Industry in August
	Share of people moving from not employed in May to employed in Aug (%)
Accommodation and Food Services	20
Retail Trade	11
Health Care and Social Assistance	10
Education and Training	9
Construction	6
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services	6
Transport, Postal and Warehousing	6
Administrative and Support Services	5
Arts and Recreation Services	5
Manufacturing	4
Other Services	4
Public Administration and Safety	3
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	3
Wholesale Trade	2
Financial and Insurance Services	2
Information Media and Telecommunications	2
Mining	1
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services	1
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services	1

["","Share of people moving from not employed in May to employed in Aug"]

[["Accommodation and Food Services","Retail Trade","Health Care and Social Assistance","Education and Training","Construction","Professional, Scientific and Technical Services","Transport, Postal and Warehousing","Administrative and Support Services","Arts and Recreation Services","Manufacturing","Other Services","Public Administration and Safety","Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing","Wholesale Trade","Financial and Insurance Services","Information Media and Telecommunications","Mining","Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services","Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services"],[[19.899999999999999],[11.199999999999999],[9.8000000000000007],[9.3000000000000007],[6.2999999999999998],[6.2999999999999998],[6.0999999999999996],[5],[4.9000000000000004],[3.6000000000000001],[3.6000000000000001],[2.7000000000000002],[2.7000000000000002],[2.2000000000000002],[1.8999999999999999],[1.6000000000000001],[1.2],[1.2],[0.59999999999999998]]]

[]

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Source: Longitudinal Labour Force Microdata

Chart 7 shows that 83% of people employed as Professionals in May were still in that occupation in August. Only 5% of people employed as Professionals or Managers were no longer employed in August. In contrast, 13% of people employed as Labourers in May were no employed in August.

Managers and Sales workers were the most likely to change occupations over the period, with 23% employed in these occupations in may employed in a different occupation in August.

Chart 7: Whether remained employed, by Occupation in August
	Same occupation in Aug as May (%)	Different occupation in Aug (%)	Not employed in Aug (%)
Professionals	83	12	5
Technicians and Trades Workers	79	14	8
Clerical and Administrative workers	76	17	7
Community and Personal Service Workers	75	15	10
Machinery Operators and Drivers	73	16	10
Managers	72	23	5
Sales workers	67	24	9
Labourers	64	23	13

["","Same occupation in Aug as May","Different occupation in Aug","Not employed in Aug"]

[["Professionals","Technicians and Trades Workers","Clerical and Administrative workers","Community and Personal Service Workers","Machinery Operators and Drivers","Managers","Sales workers","Labourers"],[[83],[78.599999999999994],[75.700000000000003],[75.299999999999997],[73.200000000000003],[71.700000000000003],[67.299999999999997],[64.400000000000006]],[[12.300000000000001],[13.9],[17.399999999999999],[14.699999999999999],[16.399999999999999],[23.300000000000001],[23.5],[22.600000000000001]],[[4.7000000000000002],[7.5],[6.9000000000000004],[10.1],[10.4],[5.0999999999999996],[9.1999999999999993],[13.1]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

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Source: Longitudinal Labour Force Microdata

Over 22% of the people who moved from being not employed in May to being employed in August were working as a Community and personal service worker in August (Chart 8). In contrast, Managers (6%) and Machinery operators and drivers (6%) had a relatively low share of all people moving from not employed in May to employed in August.

Chart 8: People not employed in May and employed in August, by Occupation in August
	Share of people moving from not employed in May to employed in Aug (%)
Community and Personal Service Workers	23
Professionals	17
Labourers	16
Clerical and Administrative Workers	11
Technicians and Trades Workers	11
Sales Workers	11
Managers	6
Machinery Operators and Drivers	6

["","Share of people moving from not employed in May to employed in Aug"]

[["Community and Personal Service Workers","Professionals","Labourers","Clerical and Administrative Workers","Technicians and Trades Workers","Sales Workers","Managers","Machinery Operators and Drivers"],[[22.600000000000001],[17],[16.399999999999999],[10.699999999999999],[10.6],[10.5],[6.4000000000000004],[5.7999999999999998]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"5","axis_min":"","axis_max":"25","axis_title":"%","precision":"0","table_units":"(%)","tooltip_units":"(%)","axis_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Source: Longitudinal Labour Force Microdata

Further information

For further information, please email labour.statistics@abs.gov.au.