Skills Shortage Tightens Job Market; 83% of HR Professionals Report Difficulty Recruiting: SHRM Research
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The skills gap is real and getting worse, with 83 percent of HR
professionals saying they had difficulty recruiting suitable candidates
in the past 12 months, according to new
research from SHRM — the Society for Human Resource Management. The
findings highlight the urgent need to address the training of workers
and improve public-policy governing work.
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Infographic: 75% of HR professionals say there is a skills shortage among workers and job candidates, and 83% say they have noticed a decline in the quality of job applicants for specific jobs. (Graphic: Business Wire)
“A majority of Americans (63 percent) believe what employers facing
difficulty in recruiting have known for some time — there is a skills
shortage in the workforce,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP,
president and chief executive officer of SHRM. “What is now clear is
that innovative thinking and resolute action are needed, and public
policy must change.”
State of the Union: As the voice
of all things work, SHRM is leading discussions about public policy that
impacts the workplace. Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. can speak to topics
expected to be addressed in the State of the Union, including workplace
immigration reform, jobs, training of workers, health care and workplace
flexibility. To schedule an interview, contact SHRM Media Relations.
According to the SHRM Skills Gap Survey report, 52 percent
of HR professionals said that the skills gap has worsened or greatly
worsened in the past two years.
Additionally, 83 percent said they have noticed a decrease in the
quality of job applicants, with one-third citing a lack of needed
technical skills.
The gap is evident in the trades, middle-skilled positions and highly
skilled STEM positions.
-
Carpentry, plumbing, welding and machining are the technical abilities
most lacking in the workforce. -
Data analysis, science, engineering, medical and finance are other
areas in short supply.
The survey found a contrast between the most common remedies used by
employers to address the talent shortage — expanding advertising and
outsourcing recruiting, among them — and those that HR professionals say
are the most effective:
-
Providing onsite training to employees (seminars and training
programs); -
Starting or expanding training programs to help improve skills of new
hires; -
Providing offsite training to employees (workshops and development
programs); - Increasing compensation.
Other remedies identified by SHRM are better preparing the youngest
workers through collaboration with educational institutions and
recruiting from nontraditional sources such as people with criminal
backgrounds and military veterans.
More than one-quarter of HR respondents said their businesses
collaborate with schools to build a pipeline of job candidates. But
almost one-half believe that the education system has done very little
to help address the issue.
For some jobs with labor shortages, employment-based immigration is the
right remedy.
A majority (85 percent) of HR respondents to the SHRM Employment-Based
Immigration Survey said it was very important to recruit workers
regardless of their national origin.
While about three-quarters of survey respondents said foreign-born
workers contribute positively to U.S. economic growth and help drive
innovation, more than one-third said their businesses were challenged by
an insufficient number of employment-based visas, such as H-1Bs, to
recruit these workers. Additionally, one-third said the employment-based
immigration process was lengthy and complex with unpredictable results.
Respondents also called for the removal of roadblocks to ensuring a
legal workforce. What is needed now, according to HR professionals:
-
More employment visas: 33 percent of those who use work visas
in recruiting say more are needed to recruit, hire, transfer and
retain talented employees. -
Mandatory E-Verify: 81 percent support a national, entirely
electronic system that accurately confirms identity for employment and
combats identity theft. -
Trusted Employer Program: 56 percent approve its creation for
low-risk, immigration-compliant employers.
Methodology: The SHRM Skills Gap Survey polled 1,028 HR
professionals and the SHRM Employment-Based Immigration Survey polled
785 HR professionals. Both were conducted in September 2018. A separate
NORC Amerispeak Omnibus poll asked 1,059 Americans about national issues
of significance to them.
Resources: 2019
State of Workplace Skills Gap and Employment-Based Immigration Research
Report, Infographic,
Closing
the Skills Gap video and Modernizing
Employment Immigration video.
Media: For details on the research surveys or to schedule an
interview with SHRM CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., contact Kate Kennedy at
703-535-6260 and [email protected],
or Vanessa Hill at 703-535-6072 and [email protected].
Society for Human Resource Management
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest
HR professional society, representing 300,000 members in more than 165
countries. For nearly seven decades, the Society has been the leading
provider of resources serving the needs of HR professionals and
advancing the practice of human resource management. SHRM has more than
575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices
in China, India and United Arab Emirates. Visit us at shrm.org
and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @SHRMPress.
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