Workforce 'casualisation' hurting Australia?

The growing trend of employing casual staff is reducing productivity and intensifying the skills shortage, a work/life balance academic has told The Sydney Morning Herald.

The University of South Australia's Barbara Pocock says many of our two million casuals are going to work when sick, a move that can hinder productivity amongst both causal and full time staff.

In addition, many causal workers are deferring preventative health care because they don't have control over their time.

Pocock says the casualisation of our workforce is contributing to the skills shortage because casual workers don't have time to up-skill and employers are unwilling to invest in non-full time workers.