Chinese companies are still experiencing talent shortage, according to a recent survey. (Photo : Reuters)
According to an industry survey conducted by workforce solutions provider Manpower Group Inc, employers of Chinese companies still find it tough to find talent that would fit their job positions.
The recent survey shows that about 24 percent of employers in Chinese mainland suffered from an acute talent crunch, while 53 percent said that they had difficulties in filling some positions compared with last year.
The survey is an affirmation that Chinese companies are still concerned with a shortage of talent, with sales managers, sales representatives and technicians as the most in demand.
The international firm's 2015 survey included over 41,000 employers--2,004 of which are from Chinese mainland--across the globe to measure the impact of talent shortage in the worldwide workforce market.
"Technology is evolving faster than ever, changing the skills needed for jobs and shortening the life cycle of the skills. Still, there is a growing mismatch of in-demand skills with talent supplies," Manpower Group China's managing director Zhang Jinrong stated.
"Talent shortages not only affect the companies' capabilities, but also hinder innovation in China. What employers should do is to find the right talent externally, as well as foster a learning culture within their organizations and encourage employees to own their careers," Zhang added.
The survey noted that some of the main reasons behind the hard-to-fill vacancies in China, which include sales managers and representatives, are environmental and market factors. Among these factors, 31 percent is accounted to lack of applicants.
Also included in the reasons are workplace and technical competencies, and organizational factors, the report stated.
As for the impact of talent shortage, 33 percent of the respondents said that the most common effect is reduced productivity or competitiveness. Meanwhile, 22 percent responded reduced innovation and 20 percent answered increased employee turnover.
A huge 68 percent stated that the shortage has a medium-to-high impact on their ability to meet the needs of clients, while only a mere 12 percent indicated that the concern has no impact on their client's demands.
For 2015, the Chinese job market expects to add another 7.5 million fresh graduates. The figure marks a 3-percent year-on-year increase.
However, Zhang emphasized that the increasing number of graduates will have to face a shrinking job market, citing the ever-changing in-demand skills.
