Australian jobs at risk of automation, 272 Indonesian election staff die from ‘overwork’, and more top news

The news Australian professionals are talking about now, curated by LinkedIn’s editors. Join the conversation in the comments below.

Like your job? Sadly it could be automated sooner than you think, according to a new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report. About 36% of Aussie jobs could soon be handled by machines, and 14% could disappear altogether in 15 years. The report also found Australia has one of the highest rates of casual workers in the OECD, offering little stability. The report's release comes amid a debate about wages growth and job insecurity during the federal election campaign.

More than 270 Indonesian election staff have died following the country’s vote, mostly from fatigue-related illnesses. April 17 was the world's biggest single-day elections with approximately 80% of 193 million eligible voters punching up to five ballot papers at one of more than 800,000 polling stations. But officials had to count ballot papers by hand, reportedly resulting in the deaths of 272 as of Saturday with 1878 others falling ill. The Finance Ministry is working on compensation for families of the deceased.

Amazon is automatically tracking and firing warehouse workers over poor productivity. Fulfillment center workers are under intense pressure to ‘make rate’ or meet productivity targets, The Verge reports. Expectations are such that about 300 workers were fired at a Baltimore, US, fulfillment center between August 2017 and September 2018. Although supervisors can override the process, Amazon automates tracking of boxes packed as well as warnings or terminations over quality. Workers have been known to skip toilet breaks to meet quotas.

Also… The online retailer also officially flagged its intention to "make one-day shipping the new standard” for its flagship Prime membership program.

The hot new trend in telecommunications is new mobile plans bundled with second-hand smartphones. Financial services giant Macquarie Group is set to enter the market with its Nu Mobile business, reselling access to Telstra’s mobile network coupled with a used handset. In response, Vodafone and Telstra are investigating opportunities to offer something similar. The business model is a cheaper alternative for consumers and is popular in the US, but has yet to take off in Australia.

Corporate restrooms are getting makeovers, as companies adapt to rising employee expectations (paywall). Gone are the days of having drab metal stalls with partial-height doors, as employers install hotel-style low lighting, provide specialty lotion and blast curated playlists. Themed bathrooms are also in: WeWork has a Nordic spa-themed restroom, and Airbnb has a forest-themed restroom — complete with chirping crickets.

Idea of the day: In our quest to achieve daring, ambitious goals, Apollo Theater executive producer Kamilah Forbes reminds us that we often need to serve as our own steadfast champions and use our stumbles as growth opportunities.

“I remember I was told ... that it couldn’t work. But trust your voice, and I think every moment of failure should be a moment of learning.”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments.

—  Andrea Beattie & Cathy Anderson