Unemployment at 5.8% in November

There was only a slight change to the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in November, as it increased just 0.1 per cent during the month.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that the overall level of unemployment was 5.8 per cent, although there was a rise in the actual number of people in employment.

In November, 21,000 additional people found jobs, taking the number of individuals in paid work across Australia to 11.65 million.

The rise was primarily down to more people undertaking full-time employment (a rise of 15,000) rather than part-time roles (5,500).

Men were shown to be more inclined to seek full-time positions during the month, while women demonstrated a preference for part-time roles.

Nevertheless, the number of individuals out of work still increased by 3,400 in November – with the right recruitment software tools, these people could prove a valuable addition to your organisation.

The ABS also offered insight into the seasonally adjusted labour force participation rate, which remained steady at 65.8 per cent last month.

Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted underemployment rate remained steady at 7.6 per cent – when combined with the unemployment figure, the ABS estimated that 13.4 per cent of the population is currently being underutilised.

The ABS recently revealed that Australians are increasingly in search of part-time roles in a bid to encourage them back into the workforce.

Making part-time hours available could be just what companies need to boost their staffing levels, as both men and women said this is something they would actively go in search of.

Data showed that almost 60 per cent of women caring for children believe the availability of childcare places is important to encourage them back to work, as well as financial assistance.

Men, on the other hand, were most likely to seek jobs that matched their skills and experience.