Activity
Employment is measured in the Household Labour Force Survey, Quarterly Employment Survey, and the Census of Population and Dwellings. We are going to look at how it is measured in each survey.
Household Labour Force Survey
The Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) is used to obtain the official unemployment figures in New Zealand.
Use the following links to complete the questions on the HLFS:
Household Labour Force Survey technical notes
Hot off the Press - December 2010 quarter
Information about the Household Labour Force Survey:
Glossary of terms
Background information about how the survey is conducted
Complete the Quick Facts – Household Labour Force Survey
How often is the Household Labour
Force Survey carried out? |
How many households/
individuals are surveyed? |
What areas of New Zealand are
surveyed? |
Which groups are excluded from the
survey? |
What is meant by the
working-age population?
|
How does the survey define the
term 'employed'? |
How is the term 'unemployed' defined? |
Who makes up the labour
force in New Zealand? |
Give two examples of people who are
not part of the labour force. |
How is the Labour Force Participation
Rate calculated?
|
How is the Unemployment
Rate calculated? |
What are some limitations of the HLFS? |
Census of Population and Dwellings
The Census also collects statistics on employment and unemployment in New Zealand. Use the links to complete the questions below.
Definitions and questionnaires
Survey information
Complete the Quick Facts – Census of Population and Dwellings
How often is the census held? |
Who fills in the census? |
What is the date of the next census? |
How does the census define the
term 'employed'? |
How is the term 'unemployed'
defined? |
What are some limitations of the census? |
Quarterly Employment Survey
This survey, which occurs four times a year, is another regular measure of employment. Find out some facts about it by using the links below:
Quarterly Employment Survey December 2010
Technical notes
Complete the Quick Facts – Quarterly Employment Survey
What does the Quarterly Employment
Survey measure? |
How many businesses are surveyed? |
Information collected relates to
which date/payweek?
|
What is defined as a 'filled' job? |
What is a full-time-equivalent? |
What are some limitations of the
Quarterly Employment Survey? |
Task - The Labour Force
Complete the attached table and then answer the questions below. (You can use the Excel table attached below instead.)
-
What observations can you make about the labour force participation rate over the period shown?
-
What is the trend in the unemployment rate over this period?
-
What type of unemployment do you think would mostly account for the current unemployment figure – structural, cyclical, or frictional? Why?
-
What possible limitations are there to this data collected by the Household Labour Force Survey?
Task - The Quarterly Employment Survey
Research the latest Quarterly Employment Survey.
Write a report on the results, include any changes in ‘filled jobs’ and in the number of ‘full-time equivalents’. Explain how the results might be reflected in the current unemployment rate and how they might be related to economic growth.