FIFO (Fly In Fly Out) and DIDO (Drive In Drive Out) rosters have often been the topic of news articles and tense conversations in Australia, but there are a good many myths that circulate about this type of work that always seem to get repeated.
As we work with many of Australia’s major mining, infrastructure, and energy concerns to connect candidates with the right roles and provide people-first project solutions, we wanted to talk about some of these myths and maybe help clear up a few misconceptions.
This one is entirely false, there are a huge number of roles in mining that do not require a FIFO roster. In fact, only 25% of the people we surveyed in our Industry Insights 2022 Report worked a permanent FIFO roster.
Some of these roles are based in your capital city, especially on the corporate or administration side of the sector. Additionally, many roles which need occasional site visits - which can be up to a couple of days - are primarily based in town or can even be work from home.
False! While mining may be the main focus of many of the discussions around FIFO the resources, infrastructure, and energy sectors all have roles that can include some percentage of Fly In Fly Out work.
Oil rigs, research stations, construction, outback stations, and even some remote tourism operators run a FIFO roster!
False again! There are a wide range of FIFO working patterns on offer. Some of the more common ones are 1,2, or 3 weeks on and 1 week off.
There are even some employers who will offer “family friendly” FIFO rosters of 5 days on and 2 days home.
That’s not to say that the longer stints don’t exist. Plenty of FIFO folk opt for working patterns as long as 15/13!
This might have been less of a myth 20 years ago but these days women in mining, energy, and infrastructure is a core concern for the sectors with some reports saying that nearly 20% of women in mining are FIFO workers.
The drive to make the energy, infrastructure, and mining sectors more inclusive and accessible is something we’ve seen developing over our years in these industries and we don’t see it slowing down anytime soon.
False! There’s definitely no requirement for anyone to be single in order to work a FIFO roster! A lot of this sentiment is based around the idea that FIFO puts too much pressure on families and can contribute to relationship stress or even breakdown.
It is certainly true that working a FIFO roster can be hard on individuals, couples, and families but there is an increasing awareness of these factors in workplaces utilising FIFO rosters.
However, there are lots of Aussie FIFO couples and families who make it work through good communication and teamwork.
With those things cleared up, there are still a few things to think about before you go all in on the FIFO lifestyle.
As we said in Myth 5, there is no denying that working a FIFO roster is very different to being home by 6pm every night. There are lots of things to consider when deciding if a FIFO roster is right for you - and now that you know Myth 1 is false - if you decide that FIFO isn’t for you we can help you find a position in mining that doesn’t require a permanent FIFO roster.
With long shifts, sleep disrupted by night shifts, and time away from loved ones - FIFO workers do have to actively look out for their mental health. Making sure that you’re aware of this, and of the resources available to you, is an important step in making the decision to pursue a FIFO career.
One of these resources is the MATES programs. Both MATES in Mining and MATES in Energy were created after a very successful MATES in Construction program. All three are evidence-based workplace suiciude prevention models which are now national programs and provide general education, training and support within these sectors.
Many people think of FIFO as a money making enterprise. While it is true that many FIFO workers enjoy a favourable salary, many people who only do it for the money have a hard time with the work and disruption to their lives.
There’s nothing wrong with just trying it out, many people start this way and end up loving the FIFO life. Just remember, no matter how many “six figure income” headlines you read - there’s a lot of work that goes into those six figures!
If a career in resources, energy, infrastructure is your goal and FIFO forms a part of that then get in touch and we can talk about your options!
We help candidates find positions across the infrastructure, mining, and energy sectors every day - and while many of them are FIFO positions, there are plenty of careers out there with limited site visits needed and even WFH options!
So with those pervasive myths out of the way and a couple of things to think about - what are your thoughts on the FIFO roster?
Whether you’ve decided that it’s definitely for you, not your ideal situation, or that you’re still on the fence about it - drop us a line. We specialise in people - which means matching candidates with the right role as well as helping them progress and develop their careers.
13 Mar 2025