Asked what takes priority when searching for a mining job, most survey respondents (39.8%) ranked work-life balance the highest. It was voted a top priority in similar MPI polls in both 2018 (40.48%) and 2016 (47.24%), but to lower percentages. The falling percentage indicates work-life balance is improving - but not quickly enough.
Steve Heather, managing director at MPI, says due to the high prevalence of fly in/fly out (FIFO) workforces in Australia work-life balance consistently ranks as a high priority.
“Getting this balance right across the roster cycles is particularly important to these workers. This would be less of an issue in regional towns or cities, where workers come home to their families every night,” he explains.
But employers are responding to workers’ concerns. “They’re offering more family friendly rosters, with some moving to ‘even time’ timetables, where miners spend the same time at home as they do on site, as well as offering high quality communication services in onsite accommodation so employees can stay connected with their families,” Heather adds.
Additionally, workers returning to the mining sector after being laid-off in the downturn have experienced improved working conditions in other industries, such as manufacturing and construction, and now expect mining employers to match-up, says Chris Kent, regional director of Hays Resources & Mining in Australia.
“Now that optimism has returned to the mining industry, many of these people are returning and bringing these higher work-life balance expectations with them,” he says.
Similarly, mining companies looking to attract new entrants to the sector need to be aware of the differing expectations they’re likely to have, he adds.