Most businesses unprepared for employee shortages

Two-thirds of businesses do not have a plan for hiring white collar staff in 'talent short' markets, our whitepaper shows, despite rising demand and increasingly competitive hiring conditions. Download the whitepaper now.

In many cases, the roots of talent shortages can be traced back to the recession, when staff investment and succession planning was assigned a relatively low priority. As a result, recruiting the right professionals has become increasingly difficult.

 

“Amid an improving economic climate, the ‘dash for talent’ is creating a real headache for employers. In some areas, there is a perception that there are simply not enough qualified candidates to go round,” says Jason Grundy, Country Head of Robert Walters Middle

Amid an improving economic climate, the ‘dash for talent’ is creating a real headache for employers. In some areas, there is a perception that there are simply not enough qualified candidates to go round

Strategies adopted to manage candidate shortages

Of the employers that have a plan in place, over 40% said they would consider appointing interim or contract professionals to manage skills shortages. A quarter said they were working to overcome talent shortages by developing new succession plans or recruiting from talent pools they hadn't explored in the past.

Promoting Job Opportunities

While strong demand has generated double-digit pay rises for some white collar professionals - in contrast with a broader pattern of sluggish wage growth - many are drawn to a new job by factors such as a healthy work-life balance, interesting assignments or training opportunities. 

"Sensible preparation can help employers attract the right professionals," adds Kamran Habib, Manager at Robert Walter, Middle East. "Reducing the time from interview to offer, for instance, or communicating your organisation’s excellent career progression opportunities, are just two ways of enhancing your ability to make the right hire." 

Download our Recruiting professionals in a candidate short market whitepaper here

Or, access the Robert Walters salary survey to find out what your worth or benchmark your team’s salaries.

For more information, please contact:

Jason Grundy, Country Manager (Middle East)
jason.grundy@robertwalters.com
+971 4 8180 102