Albany notches position as eighth hardest working city in Australia according to study by Snow Season Central

Albany employees are the eighth hardest working in the nation, according to a recent study, with its high employment rate and long average work week putting it in the top 10. Seasonal employment website Snow Season Central compared 50 Australian cities and ranked them on 11 metrics, including working hours, number of jobs per person and use of vacation hours. Using a 100-point system and measuring a combination of “direct” and “indirect” work factors, the study lists Albany as number eight with a score of 76.29. Contributing factors include the city’s 89.5 per cent employment rate (which is 14th in the country) and long average work week of 36.7 hours per week (fourth in the country). The only other West Australian town to appear in the top 10 list was Kalgoorlie, which came in second with a score of 80.27. Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Kristen Pyrz-Brown said she was not surprised to see Albany on the list, particularly given the level of volunteering undertaken by residents. “This really speaks to the necessity of what is required in regional towns and cities to keep things going and I know many of our members who are motivated business owners also dedicate their free time to supporting, sponsoring or volunteering,” she said. “Further to this the measure of our high employment rate, to the point where we have a skills shortage, means that people are taking on multiple jobs or business owners are also operating in their businesses because it’s proving difficult to attract more staff down to Albany due to a housing shortage. “This study makes a great deal of sense that Albany would be in the mix as we face challenges in getting the balance right with the number of workers in the local economy to cover everything that is required to keep the city running at its optimal level.” Direct work factors measured included average work week hours, employment rate, the share of households where no adults work, the share of workers leaving vacation time unused, and the rate of residents aged 16 to 24 who are neither in school nor working. Indirect work factors included average commute time, the share of workers with multiple jobs, average leisure time spent per day, the share of residents doing unpaid domestic work and annual volunteer hours per resident. These factors were then scored out of 100 for 50 cities. Snow Season Central director Ed Raine said the data demonstrated the “remarkable” work ethic of Australians in regional towns. “As we celebrate these hardworking cities, it’s important to recognise that in an environment of rising costs and inflation, dedication to employment becomes even more vital for many,” he said.