WA employers keen to hire, recruiter says

A national study shows 41 per cent of Western Australian employers are planning to expand permanent staff numbers in an "ambitious" hiring this year.

Robert Half Talent Solutions today published its study results after surveying 300 hiring managers across Australia in November.

The national recruiter found 41 per cent of WA employers plan to expand their teams with permanent hires, the same percentage recorded for Victorian employers surveyed.

According to the study, only 25 per cent of NSW and 35 per cent of Queensland employeers plan to expand their numbers with permanent hires.

Robert Half director Richard Sinden said many WA businesses had set ambitious growth targets off the back of the growing business confidence in 2022.

“Last year, WA employers were hiring at large volumes to meet surging demand for their skills amid a severe skills shortage in the West,” he said.

“Now, employers are making fewer panic hires and shifting their focus on right-sizing their businesses and boosting the productivity of their existing employees.”

Robert Half reported more than three-quarters of WA employers, being 77 per cent, intend to either maintain or increase its permanent headcount in 2023, slightly more than 75 per cent of other Australian employers planning the same.

About 58 per cent of WA employers plan to maintain or increase contract headcount in the coming year, compared to 63 per cent nationally.

The federal government’s Jobs and Skills Australia Labour Market data for WA shows a 6.8 per cent increase in online job advertisements in November, compared to the previous month.

The market data also shows a 145.5 per cent change in online job advertisements since March 2020.

“The technology sector, especially in the resources, energy and mining industries, is leading the charge in hiring ambitions as businesses intend on uplifting their network security and customer experience, calling for specialists in network architecture and security," Mr Sinden said.

"The skills-short market is showing no signs of easing, especially in WA, with business leaders finding it increasingly challenging to secure qualified technology talent."

The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that there were 444,200 job vacancies across the country in November.

The ABS found 29.4 per cent of WA businesses reported vacancies in November, compared to the national average of 27.7 per cent.

Mr Sinden said the WA job market was expected to remain strong in 2023, despite economic uncertainty.

“Financial hiring plans are primarily driven by the need for accounts payable, payroll and accounting skills with a focus on effective financial strategy and cost management,” he said.

“In technology many companies have planned specific programs of works relying on the availability of cyber and data related skillsets, with developer shortages also becoming critical.”