The research, released ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos next week, reveals 54% of companies pointed to skills shortages with businesses in 36 of 44 countries finding it more difficult to attract skilled talent than in 2018. Employers in the US (69%), Mexico (52%) Italy (47%) and Spain (41%) reported the most acute shortages.

Commenting on the findings, ManpowerGroup chairman & CEO Jonas Prising said: “In an increasingly tech-enabled world, people with skills are in demand.

“We know from conversations with candidates, clients and from our data that workers want flexibility and the opportunity to learn new skills … We are calling for leaders to shift their workforce demands closer to the needs of in-demand talent. Creating shareholder value can only be done in conjunction with taking care of employees, customers and communities, so listening to the voice of the consumer is key. As the pace of disruption accelerates, helping people adapt for future jobs and companies become creators of talent has never been more important.”

Separate research from the Australian Resources and Energy Group reveals the country’s mining sector will need 21,000 new workers by 2024, with mining plant operators most demand and a total of 8,660 operators required across the country’s 57 total projects.

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