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Ageing workforce strategies
At September 2006, around 48% of Queensland permanent public service employees were aged over 45 years. Only about 24% were aged 34 years or less.
Therefore, some agencies may be facing a serious shortage of employees in the next 10 to 15 years, as many of the large contingent of baby boomers in the workforce retire.
For further information on how to analyse and respond to ageing workforce issues:
- download the Workforce Planning Toolkit
- download the Workforce Demographics Toolkit
- download the Guide for the Queensland Public Service
- download the Quality Public Service Workplaces Information Kit
- check out our work / life balance opportunities, or
- check out DEIR's "Experience Pays" Employer Guide.
In 2006 the OPSC partnered with the sponsor of the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy, the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations (DEIR), to assist Queensland public service agencies to recruit, retrain and retain mature-age workers. A Liaison Officer in OPSC is working with agencies to assist in developing responses to ageing workforce challenges relevant to the Queensland public service.
Numerous agencies across the public service are endeavouring to find solutions to the current labour and skill shortages. As an example, DEIR has developed the Work and Life by Design program. This program was developed as a retention initiative to deal with the impacts of an ageing workforce, in response to the identified risk of losing high numbers of staff through retirements.
A DEIR background document to the Work and Life by Design program is available for download. If you require further information about this program, please contact the OPSC Industry Liaison Officer on 3224 5514.
Information on the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy can be found at www.experiencepays.qld.gov.au.
Last reviewed 21 April, 2008