Casual or part-time employees? What to consider

The residential aged care workforce is one that heavily relies on a combination of permanent part-time and casual workers. According to the 2020 Aged Care Workforce Census Report, 71% of direct care workers were permanent part-time and 19% were employed on a casual or contract basis.

Although the vast majority of workers have permanent employment, the aged care sector has long turned to casuals and agency workers to fill gaps and address ongoing workforce shortages. 

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a 9% increase in the number of casuals employed, compared to 2016. In fact, aged care trends prior to the pandemic indicated a departure from casuals.

However, that has changed. But there are lingering concerns that a highly casualised workforce can place additional strain on permanent workers if skill gaps form. Research has also found that insecure employment can have a negative impact on individuals.

Is it all negative, though? what are the pros and cons of supplementing your workforce with casual or agency workers? Are there ways to deliver long-term opportunities for both permanent and casual employees?

In this article, Hello Leaders touches on the benefits of employing casuals or permanent part-timers, and how this can help you make the right decisions for factors like staff rotation and resident care. We also look at the challenges and the considerations employers need to make to ensure all staff are supported with secure employment and general wellbeing.

Part-time: attractive work benefits

Part-timers work a minimum of 10 hours per week/20 hours per fortnight and a maximum of 38 hours per week, receive all types of paid leave, and typically have a roster that is flexible enough to accommodate any caring commitments at home. They can choose to fill in extra shifts if they haven’t worked a full complement of hours too.

With the vast majority of direct care staff working part-time, 71% compared to just 6% full-time, it is clearly an employment option care workers are very attracted to. 

Yes, there are options to work full time and for those who can, they do, but the combination of flexible working hours and entitlements, such as paid leave, fit in perfectly with a female-dominated workforce that also often has caring responsibilities at home.

At Anglicare Southern Queensland, the majority of staff welcome the combination of structure and flexibility that permanent part-time offers.

“We have a consistent workforce in terms of staff and also the profile of that workforce,” explained Anna Zilli, Director Organisational Development.  

“Most of our employees in the aged care sector are typically female, their average age is 46 and most are part-time employees. 

“People have commitments and families, and often our employees are caring for either children or their own parents so they’re in that sandwich generation, caring for younger and older people. 

“Being a part-time employee allows that flexibility.”

Ms Zilli said permanent staff are also often attracted to salary packaging (salary sacrificing).

Through salary packaging, an individual can reduce their taxable income amount as some of their take-home pay is instead placed into superannuation, while some employers do choose to provide physical benefits like health insurance or a smartphone that are equal to the sum of money.

As workforce retention is an ongoing issue, the provision of attractive work benefits means you have the reassurance that an employee’s needs are being met and you are more likely to retain that worker in the long run.

Part-time v casual: knowledge retention

Part-time

One of the major benefits of retaining long-term staff is their familiarity and knowledge of your business. 

Permanent part-time staff can develop an understanding of residents, pick up any subtle changes in health that might be missed otherwise, and also build trust with residents while caring for them.

They can also often work independently as they know the internal processes and procedures of your organisation.

Casual

Casual staff are certainly not immune to building relationships and an understanding of work processes, especially if you do retain long-term casuals. But as a fill-in workforce, you may run the risk of over-relying on casuals who lack institutional knowledge.

Dr Gemma Beale, Senior Project Officer – Research Impact at the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute (AITI), said this can impede permanent workers who have to provide additional support outside of their regular duties. 

“One of the elements of casual work that we often forget about is the loss of what’s called institutional knowledge, which is all of the information you learn when you work in the same workplace,” said Dr Beale.

“This can range from relatively small things like where things are kept and how and who to report certain issues to, to much larger things like specific policies, procedures, and safety protocols. 

“It is understandably frustrating for both permanent and casual staff when there is a gap between what a worker needs to know and what is included in onboarding.”

That’s why a balancing act is important as your permanent workforce is there to guide a supplementary casual workforce that may or may not be familiar with your business.

Casual: employment that suits their lifestyle

Casuals may not enjoy all of the same benefits as their permanent colleagues, but increased pay rates through a casual loading of 25% are an attractive alternative to paid leave for some.

This short-term reward often best suits the lifestyle of casuals, or suits people with a busy schedule, including study, work or caring commitments. And with the ability to choose when to accept or decline shifts, just as you can choose when to offer them, you find that some casuals are content with working fewer hours.

Ms Zilli said she views loading as a boost for the younger casual worker who has pursued the employment type to suit their lifestyle.

“Casual workers tend to be younger workers that don’t necessarily value paid leave as important as some of our other employees,” said Ms Zilli.

But she did add that, overall, the flexibility of casual hours is often outweighed by additional paid leave benefits. 

Casual: insecure nature of casual employment

While casual staff have a greater sense of flexibility, research shows that close to two-thirds of the total casual workforce – not just in aged care – do not have set weekly minimum hours.

As a result, Dr Beale said many casuals face what is known as ‘working-time insecurity’, which is the insecure nature of casual employment, including the variable and sometimes unpredictable hours of work plus fluctuating income.

“Working-time insecurity covers a few different components of work including whether someone has enough hours of work, how much say they have over their hours worked, the predictability and consistency of working hours over time and the short notice of shifts,” explained Dr Beale.

“Essentially, is someone working enough hours to cover their expenses and how consistent are their weekly shifts? 

“The greater the fluctuation in shifts or hours roster-to-roster the more insecure and stressful the work is likely to be.”

It can be difficult in aged care to provide ongoing shift consistency as there is unpredictability due to staff member or resident illness, and, of course, resident death.

“There is an impact on what we call ‘health-related behaviours’ that includes diet, exercise, and sleep as well as the impact it can have on your sense of control and your ability to plan, socialise, and meet your caring responsibilities,” said Dr Beale.

“It’s difficult to make doctors’ appointments, childcare arrangements or even know if you can attend a loved one’s birthday party if you don’t know if you will be working and how much you might be earning that week.”

Ms Beale suggested that if you do employ a large number of casual staff, clear communication should be used whenever possible as working-time insecurity impacts the financial stability, as well as health and wellbeing of staff.

This additional support can ensure your workplace remains attractive and welcoming as staff feel recognised and valued. They may be more likely to accept shifts when their mental or physical wellbeing is acknowledged.

Should you choose casual or part-time?

You may prioritise institutional knowledge and existing workers already, offering openings and new shifts to permanent workers and the long-term casuals that are more familiar with your operations.

With the right employee mix, if there is a sudden loss of an experienced worker, you can find a skilled replacement with attractive benefits and an employment type that suits their needs and yours as an employer of choice.

At Anglicare Southern Queensland, Ms Zilli said her preference is to provide secure employment by offering permanent tenure when possible, as well as development and career progression opportunities – including a casual to a permanent switch.

“Casuals are an important part of the mix, but so is making sure people have tenure and know they’re financially secure because they have secure, consistent and ongoing employment,” said Ms Zilli.

While this may not be the right option for your business, you want to ensure your workforce mix remains consistent, experienced and reliable no matter the percentage of part-time or casual workers.

What do you believe is the right mix for casual and part-time workers within aged care? Tell us in the comments below.