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Better safe than sorry - Australian employers stay focused on stability over growth

Announcement posted by ORC International 28 Nov 2011

New ORC International survey of Australian HR professional reveals a cautious outlook for 2012

(Melbourne, VIC) ORC International’s recent HR Reflections survey has revealed that Australian employers are more cautious than other nations going into 2012; preferring to focus on stability rather than growth.

45% of the Australia-based HR professionals surveyed are focused on growth for the coming year. Globally employers are more positive with 60% focused on growth.

The split between growth and stability is far more evenly divided than in other regions, with 38% of respondents focusing on stability, compared to 24% overall. This shows that while employers in Australia are less optimistic, they are not overly negative.

Other key findings from the survey were:

- Only 44% of Australian employers compared to a global 55% said that their organisation's performance was better than it was 12 months ago
- 32% of Australian employers are considering redundancies in next 12 months (compared to 21% globally)

However, there are still some areas that stand out as positive signs for Australian employees. 69% compared to a global 55% are considering pay rises at or above the levels of previous years.


Rory MacNeill, Global Managing Director of ORC International’s Employee Research division comments: “In this latest HR Reflections survey, Australia stands out as one of the more cautious regions. Its employment market has weathered the financial storm well and maintains a reputation as a good place to work with good pay and benefits. While the views coming out of these organisations are more reserved, they do not stand out as downbeat.”

About HR Reflections

HR Reflections was conducted in July 2011. The survey was sent out to HR professionals, internal communications consultants and employee engagement specialists in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. The purpose of the survey was to understand their views on a range of organisational and HR issues, the current economic climate and their predictions in the next 12 months. 1,148 responses were received from a variety of different industries and sectors

About ORC International

ORC International is a leading global research firm with offices across the US, Europe and Asia Pacific. The company offers a platform of integrated intelligence that combines forward-thinking methodologies, cutting-edge technology, skilled researchers and in-depth industry experience to provide clients with valuable insight to help solve their most pressing business challenges. Specifically, the company has more than 25 years of employee research experience and manages some of the largest employee-related research/surveys worldwide. To learn more about ORCInternational, visit www.orcinternational.com.au