Employment up in first quarter

GOOD NEWS: MINING, BUSINESS SERVICES ADD JOBS

Part-time work was saving grace in many industries.

Total employment in South Africa has increased by 0.4% in the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 – thanks to increased employment in community services, manufacturing and mining, while it increased by 2% compared to the first quarter of 2021.

According to Statistics SA, this means 42 000 more people were employed quarter-on-quarter, with 10 104 000 people employed in March 2022, compared to 10 062 000 people in December 2021. This was largely due to increases in employment in community services (69 000, or 2.4%), manufacturing (8 000, or 0.7%) and mining (2000, or 0.4%).

While the electricity industry reported no quarterly change, employment in trade (-18 000, or -0.8%); construction (-9 000, or -1.7%); business services (-8 000, or -0.3%); and transport (-2 000, or -0.5%) decreased.

Full-time employment saw an increase of 1 000 from 8 880 000 in December 2021, to 8 881 000 in March 2022 – thanks to business services (14 000, or 0.7%) and mining (2 000, or 0.4%) employing more people.

However, trade (-6 000, or -0.3%); manufacturing (-4 000, or -0.4%); transport (-3 000, or -0.7%); construction (-1 000, or -0.2%); and community services (-1 000, or -0.0%) employed fewer people.

Part-time employment was the saving grace for total employment in many industries. It increased by 41 000 (3.5%) from 1 182 000 in December 2021, to 1 223 000 in March 2022, largely due to increases in community services (70 000, or 12.6%), manufacturing (12 000, or 15.6%) and transport (1 000, or 6.7%).

Year-on-year employment

Full-time employment increased by 8 000 (0.1%) year-on-year between March 2021 and March 2022.

However, there were decreases in business services (-22 000, or -9.7%), trade (-12 000, or -5.1%) and construction (-8 000, or -11.4%).

Part-time employment increased by 192 000 (18.6%) yearon-year between March 2021 and March 2022.

Salaries and wages

Gross earnings decreased by R28.2 billion (-3.4%) from R827.3 billion in December 2021, to R799.1 billion in March 2022, primarily due to decreases in community services, manufacturing, transport, trade, construction and electricity.

Employees in business services and mining saw an increase in their gross earnings by R56.6 billion (7.6%) between March 2021 and March 2022.

Basic salaries or wages decreased by R4.5 billion (-0.6%) from R720.2 billion in December 2021 to R715.7 billion in March 2022, mainly due to decreases in community services, transport, construction and electricity. Employees in trade, business services, manufacturing and mining received higher wages and salaries.

Year-on-year, basic salary/ wages increased by R43.1 billion (6.4%) between March 2021 and March 2022.

Bonus and overtime

Bonuses paid to employees decreased by R21.7 billion (-25.6%) from R84.7 billion in December 2021, to R63.0 billion in March 2022. Employees in community services, manufacturing, trade, transport, construction and electricity did not receive bonuses, but those in business services reported a quarterly increase.

Bonus payments increased by R12.7 billion (25.4%) between March 2021 and March 2022. Overtime payments decreased by R2.0 billion (-8.9%) from R22.4 billion in December 2021, to R20.4 billion in March 2022.

Only trade employees had a quarterly increase.

Year-on-year overtime payments increased by R0.8 billion (4.2%) between March 2021 and March 2022. The average monthly salary decreased by 1.4%, from R23 828 in November 2021, to R23 502 in February 2022, but increased by 1.8% since March 2021. –