Analyses the Reason of Flexible Work Forms Become Popular in Australia

Introduction

The nature of work is changing, in particular flexible work forms of employment is getting more popular in the world, including in Australia over the past couple of decades. From the information supplied, it is evident that casual employees rate increases exponentially from approximately 15.8 per cent in 1984 to 23.9 per cent in 2014. The rate of permanent part-time workers has grown from 6 per cent to 19.7 per cent during this period (Australian Bureau Statistic [ABS], 2014).  

Flexible work arrangements can be created to benefit employer and employee interests. In addition to this, Berg, Bosch, and Charest (2014) argued that flexible work arrangements are workplace policies and practices that give employers the ability to adjust when, where, and how they work in order to balance work and non-work demands. There are significant differences in the distribution of employment arrangements across gender and age brackets. As a broad generalization, the data confirm that casual workers (that is, employees with no paid leave entitlements) are more likely to be female and aged 15 to 24 years old (Australian Industry Group, 2014).  Casual work is far more prevalent among younger workers, with 40 per cent of casual workers are aged 15 to 24 years, versus 15 per cent of all workers. For women in these age groups, the proportion of workers in casual employment rises to 79 per cent of 15-19 year olds and 42 per cent of 20 to 24 year olds in casual employment. (Australian Bureau Statistic [ABS], 2014).  Further, some 60 per cent of all flexible employees are female, while the remainder is male (Australian Bureau Statistic [ABS], 2014). This is might be related to the changing component of the work, employee’s responsibility of child care and their study. Recent changes in the occupational composition of employment in Australia strongly favour those in jobs defined as high skill and low skill (Curtain, 2001 as cited in Cully, 1999).

At the same time, several governments have legislated to increase the rights of workers to seek flexibility that helps them accommodate work and care, especially care of young children. Australia has recently enacted a right for some parents to request changing for working hours, patterns and location of work.  In stark contrast, however, according to the Fair Work Act, the employer can be hired as various forms of employees, which are full-time permanent, part-time permanent, casual, shift workers, daily hire and weekly hire, probation and outworkers (Fair Work Act, 2009). Nonetheless, an employer must be aware that employees get different entitlements depending on their type of employment. In addition to this, Richardson et al (2015) have concluded that the many protections that flexible workers have in Australia diminish the risk of harm that they face. Even though, some aspects of the right of flexible workers have been existing in reality of workplace has caused in lack of statutory knowledge both of employer and employee, particularly incidents in small-sized organisation. The aim of this essay is to analyses the cause of flexible work forms becomes popular in Australia and shows that how the rights of flexible workers be protected.