Business News

Fri Sep 21

Is a flexible workforce the way of the future?

Written by Rachel Stevenson

In short, “Yes,” says Joint Managing Director of Citrus Group, Paul Smith. By nature, working in a contact centre “isn’t the easiest job in the world,” says Paul. Allowing staff to work flexible hours and if possible from home “makes a hard job a lot more enjoyable, and we want to make our roles as enjoyable as possible,” he adds.

A lot of contact centres operate well into the night and or 24/7, so taking advantage of employees that want to work flexible hours is a win win for the company and the employee. Also, if companies offer employees the opportunity to work from home, this can be a great incentive for a person that is looking for a flexible work life style balance.

Contact centres also cater to those people that are looking for flexible roles. For example, mums wanting to return to the workforce or retired professionals looking for part time work.

Not only does job flexibility offer a far greater work/life balance, the other benefits are huge, and include increased staff morale and happiness and greater staff empathy, a key skill needed within a call centre role.

Whilst it’s clear to see the positives for contact centre workers, how do companies benefit from this kind of working structure? Studies have continually shown that a flexible workforce increases retention, boosts productivity, enhances customer satisfaction and boosts staff creativity and innovation, as well as participation.

Another huge advantage for companies that use a flexible home-based workforce is that they can ramp up very quickly when call volumes suddenly increase.

With results like that, it’s no surprise this working model is taking off. More companies are allowing staff the option to work from home, attributing job flexibility to their staff’s excellent customer care skills.

Clearly, for a flexible workforce to thrive, there needs to be trust and respect from both sides. However, with huge advances in technology over recent years, managing a flexible workforce has become a lot easier to manage and monitor

“A 9-5 working model is very old-fashioned,” says Paul. “Flexibility is key in our industry and whilst it’s not for everyone, contact centres thrive on it.”

To find out more about how Citrus can help your call centre transition to a more flexible workplace, please contact us on 02 8203 5760 or info@citrusgroup.com.au.

https://www.citrusgroup.com.au/

Wed Sep 19

Careers Campsite

Written by Tess Green

‘Careers Campsite’ to bring over 100 job opportunities and career advice directly to Western Sydney youth tomorrow

Skillsroad, Australia’s number one destination for career advice and entry-level jobs, in partnership with Apprenticeship Careers Australia (ACA) and the Caravan and Camping Industry Association NSW (CCIA), will be bringing career opportunities and advice directly to young jobseekers from tomorrow until Sunday at the 2018 Caravan and Camping Outdoor Lifestyle Expo at Sydney Showground.

The ‘Careers Campsite’ stand will provide on-the-spot job interviews for an exciting range of job opportunities in the Caravan and Camping industry, free career guidance and some exciting prizes and giveaways across the four-day expo.

Currently, unemployment rates among young people in NSW are higher than the national unemployment average at 10.3 per cent, but in Western Sydney, where this year’s expo is being held, the numbers are even worse. Local employers are also suffering under this skills shortage, finding it harder to find and retain the right staff to support their business.

In response to this issue, Skillsroad and ACA, both industry leaders in the vocational sector, will bring their innovative recruitment techniques, free career advice and over 100 job opportunities to this year’s expo to help kick start young jobseekers’ entry into the workforce.

ACA Manager Luke Radford says the Careers Campsite aims to showcase the wide array of meaningful vocational positions that are available to young people in the wider Western Sydney region, and to make it easier for them to find one.

“We want to help youth across Western Sydney seize great job opportunities, so we’re bringing the opportunities to them,” says Mr Radford.

“I strongly encourage all young people in the area to grab their resume, come down to the Careers Campsite and have a chat with our team.

“Our on-the-spot interviews allow them to apply for an exciting apprenticeship or traineeship in a more comfortable, accessible context that takes away the pressure and nerves that can sometimes come with the traditional interview process.”

The Careers Campsite stand will run between 9am – 4pm, Thursday 20 – Sunday 23 September, 2018 at Sydney Olympic Park. Entrance to the stand is a short walk from Olympic Park train station.