As we appear to be in a recovery, at least those industries that can benefit in any way from digging stuff up appear to be, what will happen to the underemployed?.
Yesterday, the unemployment numbers came out, 5.4% Australia wide, 5.8% in NSW, but what they really mean is that of those surveyed, 95.6% of those who want to work, did some work, which can mean a couple of hours, in the previous month. I normally do not follow the detail of the employment figures, the statistical and political games played with them just get the blood boiling, but you would have to be crazy not to believe there is a very considerable under-employment in the economy.
Usually we focus on the young, but what about the late middle aged, the plus 50’s (of which I am one) who sit around much of the time, under-employed.
There is a huge well of experience and wisdom that is being wasted. Many of these people do not want to retire, they are the baby-boomer generation, they get their kicks out of working, and many now cannot retire, the GFC has seen to that.
As organisations try to keep full time employment down to minimise costs, and many have a barrier about hiring someone 50-plus, this group who have much to contribute, are being shuffled aside ignored, and devalued.
Wake up Australia!
