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Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
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The global workforce is being shaped by a persistent talent shortage.
According to ManpowerGroup’s 2024 Global Shortage Report, 75% of employers worldwide report difficulties in filling job openings.
This figure represents a slight improvement from the 77% recorded in 2023, but the issue remains pervasive across industries and regions around the world.
According to an analysis of the data published by HRD, to address these challenges, 65% of employers are offering more work flexibility. Additionally, 30% said they are raising wages and 28% are exploring new talent pools.
The healthcare and life sciences sector are reportedly the most affected, with 77% of organizations struggling to find skilled workers. This is closely followed by the consumer goods and services (76%), information technology (76%), and transport and logistics industries (76%).
Other areas struggling to bring in talent include:
- Industrials & Materials – 75%
- Communication Services – 73%
- Financials & Real Estate – 72%
- Energy & Utilities – 71%
The data also reveals the top five technical skills that employers report most difficulty in finding:
- IT & Data
- Engineering
- Sales & Marketing
- Operations & Logisitics
- Manufacturing & Production
The data also suggests that soft skills such as collaboration and teamwork, accountability and reliability, active learning and curiosity, and resilience and adaptability are also in high demand, but difficult for recruiters to find.
Beyond recruitment challenges, many organizations are also committed to retaining their existing workforce while continuing to transform their business models. Some employers are adapting by offering increased work flexibility, wage adjustments, and exploring decentralized/remote talent to expand the talent recruitment pool. Modern attraction and retention efforts are likely to result in a more diverse and flexible workforce as the shortage for skilled labor is expected to increase in the coming years.
