Australian employees chasing the skills to survive in a global workplace

A majority of Australian workers feel the experience they gain in a globally oriented workplace will be important to their careers,according to the latest findings from an international workplace survey. However, many believe they are not being adequately prepared to work with varied nationalities and cultures.

The survey finds that Gen Y (aged 18-29) is driving the trend toward globalisation of work. Gen Y employees also feel more confident about working in a multinational environment than their Gen X (aged 30-47) and baby boomer (aged 48-65) colleagues.

In deciding where to work, the opportunity for exposure to international skills or a globalised workplace is becoming more desirable, especially for younger workers. Yet few receive formal support, such as cultural or language training, that would help them develop the expertise needed in a global setting.

The Kelly Global Workforce Index obtained the views of more than 90,000 people in 33 countries, including more than 13,000 across Australia.

As business becomes more global, workers at every level are recognising career advantage in their exposure to the language, culture and protocols that characterise cross-border engagement.

A hallmark of international business and commerce today is to work collaboratively in global teams, and this trend is growing.

Amongst the key findings of the survey in Australia:

• 81 per cent of Gen Y believe it is important to their career prospects that they become more globally oriented, followed by Gen X (79 per cent) and baby boomers (72 per cent).
• 84 per cent of Gen Y have recently experienced working closely with colleagues from a different country or culture, followed by Gen X (81 per cent) and baby boomers (79 per cent).
• A total of 90 per cent feel that they possess the skills to work in a more globally oriented workplace.
• In deciding where to work, exposure to a global environment is considered “extremely important” by 33 per cent of Gen Y, 29 per cent of Gen X and 23 per cent of baby boomers.
• Only 34 per cent of Gen Y receive formal cross-cultural or language training from their employer, followed by Gen X (30 per cent) and baby boomers (22 per cent).

The desire for more globally oriented work experience reflects the pace of globalisation in many businesses, as more individuals take on cross-cultural responsibility in their day-to-day work experience.

Rapid economic advancement in developing economies will lead many more skilled employees to seek international opportunities, and those workers will be very attractive to employers no matter where in the world they are located. It could potentially transform industries where standard practices allow employers to tap into a vast global talent pool, in such areas as engineering, science, finance and healthcare.

For employees, many recognise that global expertise is becoming an essential part of their career armoury, and that exposure to a multinational environment has become a more critical factor in their deciding where to work.

About the Kelly Global Workforce Index
The Kelly Global Workforce Index is a survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from a generational viewpoint. Results of the current findings from across Kelly’s global operations in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific.