November 13th 2024.
A cleaning company, Fresh Desk, recently caused quite a stir when they advertised a job on Seek New Zealand for an intern cleaning position in Wellington. However, what caught people's attention was the fact that the job was unpaid. Yes, you read that right - no pay. The advertisement stated that the role was a "voluntary position", leaving many to question the company's intentions.
In their defense, Fresh Desk claimed that they were simply "testing the market" to see if there was any interest in voluntary cleaning. A spokesperson for the company has since issued an apology and the job advert has been removed. They admitted that it was an error in judgment and expressed their deep regret for causing any frustration or concern, especially given the current economic pressures on workers and the cleaning industry.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of careful decision-making in recruitment. Fresh Desk has acknowledged this and is committed to improving their processes to better serve both their team and the community. It's worth noting that their current cleaning team, consisting of 13 cleaners and one manager, are all paid at or above the Living Wage of NZ$27.80 an hour. The company stands by their commitment to fair employment practices and ensuring a positive work environment for their employees.
Unfortunately, this job advertisement comes at a tough time for the labor market. The unemployment rate has risen to 4.8% in the September quarter and is expected to continue to rise above 5% in 2025. Many firms have already started scaling back their labor requirements due to the ongoing recessionary conditions. This has resulted in redundancies across various sectors, including the public sector, meat-producing industry, and transport industry.
In conclusion, Fresh Desk's job advertisement may have caused a stir, but it has also shed light on the current state of the labor market. Let's hope that companies will make more thoughtful decisions when it comes to recruitment, and that the economy will recover from these tough times.
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