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Companies throughout Europe are facing growing labour and skills shortages, it has emerged.
The issue was highlighted by BusinessEurope, the organisation that represents the business community in Europe.
The Brussels based group published the results of a new survey of European companies which, it says, “underscores the skills and recruitment challenges that they (companies) are facing.”
Respondents of our survey confirm that employers are facing shortages of people across all skill levels.
However, the shortages are reported as being most acute in technical and engineering-related professions: almost half (46%) of respondents identify a need for digital and STEM skills.
“Almost two-thirds (66%) of the respondents also underline the need for greater intra-EU mobility and third country migration to help offset their talent shortages.
Commenting on the results, BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer said, “Our survey of European companies confirmed that they are facing growing labour and skills shortages.
“This is fuelled by three factors: demographic change, high rates of inactivity and low levels of intra-EU mobility. These shortages will continue to be Europe’s key labour market challenge in the coming years.”
Beyrer added, “They also report that less applications are being submitted, more job seekers are dropping out of recruitment processes and there is a higher turnover of staff.
“Companies are therefore hiring people that do not match all the job criteria and provide training after a person joins the company.”
He said, “All this data highlights that the announced EU action plan to address labour and skills shortages must tackle employment, education, and training, as well as mobility and migration.
“This action plan needs to be embedded in a wider European competitiveness strategy.”
