Companies Fail to Address Employee Skills Gap

The shortage of skilled employees continues to present challenges for employers. In fact, managers are saying they're seeing the toughest hiring environment since 2007, according to a recent survey from ManpowerGroup. But here's a new wrinkle: Those same employers feel that this shortfall is not having a negative impact on their relationships with customers, partners and other organizational stakeholders. For current employees, this could present a bleak picture as companies get used to having streamlined staffs. "We're seeing too many employers become complacent about the talent shortage, and ultimately they will struggle to realize their business objectives," says Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup president of the Americas. "Our advice to employers of all sizes is to align their workforce strategy with their business strategy to anticipate talent needs for today and for tomorrow. If done successfully, a winning workforce strategy can separate thriving market leaders from surviving competitors," More than 10,200 employers in the Americas took part in the research.