Where are the skilled employees hiding?

I was in a seminar recently reviewing global data and trends.  Most of us in the room were surprised to realise that being short-staffed is NOT because of Covid, OR recently closed borders, OR our immigration policies. 

Yes those factors have contributed recently, but the real reason is: 

The Worker Pool is actually Shrinking!

It’s the same in every country you look at. 

Everyone, everywhere is finding it hard to get good people. 

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Unfortunately, it’s NOT going to get better next year, because:

• Baby Boomers (that one-time population bulge) are now leaving the workforce 
• Gen Z see themselves more as gig-workers rather than employees 
• Covid made many people realise that they didn’t want to work full-time, and so will now only accept shorter working weeks (or days) with WFH/hybrid working 
• Covid caused others to change their lifestyles to reduce expenditure (eg. moving out of the city so their salary is able to stretch beyond rent/mortgage payments).

But the biggest one is:

• Most countries have had declining populations for a couple of decades now, having fewer children, therefore shrinking the incoming workforce of today and going forward. 

It’s just going to get harder to recruit skilled people.

Especially if you’re trying to hire a number of people in a key role, you’ll be better off growing your own.  Consider having your own bootcamp, “apprenticeship”, grad programme, academy, technical university so you get the people you need.  And it’ll be your competitive edge.  

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If you’re not sure how to go about it, let us help you.  

Give us a call if you want to discuss.