Talent shortage hits more than half of employers: Survey

Fifty-four per cent employers in Australia are experiencing difficulty filling critical positions, according to the latest Talent Shortage Survey from Manpower Australia. The survey showed the Australian results to be well above the global average of 34% and above the Asia-Pacific average of 45%, placing Australia fourth out of 39 countries for talent shortages.

The report found skilled trade positions, sales representatives and engineers to be the most difficult positions to fill.

Lincoln Crawley, managing director of Manpower Australia and New Zealand, said businesses need to adopt a long-term approach to ensure they have the talent they need to achieve their business objectives.

"While skills cannot be plucked out of thin air in the short term, a robust workforce strategy will ensure a company's business strategy is supported by having the talented people they need to execute it," he said. ManpowerGroup's Fresh Perspectives Paper, "Manufacturing" Talent for the Human Age, makes recommendations for how employers should tackle the conundrum of a scarcity of talent in the face of an abundance of available workers, including a holistic workforce strategy, updating work models and people practices to reflect the realities of the 21^st Century and collaborating with governments, education and individuals. "The fact that companies are citing a lack of skills or experience as a reason for talent shortages should be a wake-up call for organisations, education, government and individuals," added Crawley. "It's imperative that these stakeholders work together to address the supply-and-demand imbalance in the labour market in a systematic, agile and sustainable way."