AS THE world faces an era of rapid change in working patterns, transformative technologies, globalisation and collaboration, Australia’s world-leading resources and energy employers are often at the fore.

AREEA is preparing to leverage this expertise and our members’ insights in a submission to the Australian Parliament’s inquiry into the “Future of Work and Workers”.

The Senate established this inquiry in October 2017 with submissions closing 30 January 2018 and a report due mid-year. Its terms of reference ask the Committee to investigate the impact of technological and other change on the future of work and workers in Australia.

AREEA chief executive Steve Knott said this is an area of intense interest for resource employers.

“Resources and energy employers have been facing this transformation for some time, particularly in the management of implications from globalisation, collaboration and automation,” he says.

“Despite the disruption such developments often create, the resource industry has been ahead of the surge in a bid to ensure our sector continues to be a key contributor to our nation’s wealth, employment, and economic and social development.

“Staying on top of future of work trends continues to be vital to maintaining our sector’s world-class innovation, productivity and competitiveness.”

AREEA’s submission to the Senate Committee will especially focus on:

• Increasing trends of ‘the worker of the future’ to seek flexibility, contracting opportunities, working across multiple employers and remote work.
• Increased accessibility of resource sector employment by all community demographics, driven by cultural and technological change.
• Increasing centralisation of technical work brought upon by remote operating centres.
• Impact of all new technologies on future skills requirements, training and human resourcing strategies.
• Efficiency, safety and productivity gains from automation and the changing nature of the workforce to accommodate this.

Further, AREEA is seeking to ensure Australia’s workplace relations system has the fundamentals it needs in order to be equipped for a significant change in how work is undertaken.

If your organisation has any relevant research, data or analysis in relation to the impact of technological and other change on the future of work in Australia – we want to hear from you.

For more information about the Future of Work Inquiry and/or to contribute your ideas and workplace experiences, contact [email protected].