The shortage of skilled workers and labor is now noticeable for everyone and in many areas. People wait longer for streetcars, etc.; in hospitals and outpatient clinics they wait longer for appointments, craftsmen shake their heads when they want certain work/projects to be realized within the next few months, etc.
Career platforms are full of advertisements. Traditionally attractive employers, such as the public administration, which in the past could not resist applicants, complain about a lack of the same.
The Institute for Business Education Research [IBW] shows this picture in a survey of 4000 companies [Fall 2022] : Around ¾ of all companies are severely affected by shortages of skilled workers and labor, and in the information and communications technology sector, Austria has a shortage of around 24,000 skilled workers - a dramatic picture.
However, this shortage has long since ceased to affect so-called "skilled workers", i.e. specialists and experts. When we survey our client companies, there are hundreds to thousands of jobs in all areas of the company that cannot be filled. The shortage of labor and skilled workers is also reflected in the list of shortage occupations: In 2023, this list includes 100 nationwide and 58 regional occupations.
On the other hand, a PWC study of 52,000 employees [Fall 2022] shows that 20% of respondents can imagine changing jobs within the next 12 months .
The desire for work-life balance, shortened/flexible working hours, home office, attractive and image-boosting tasks ... this trend is intensified and for some companies, industries becomes a question of existence!
But how do we get out of this dilemma? In the following, some thought-provoking suggestions, which are neither complete, nor patent remedies, nor the "wisdom":
Recognizing talent in the company
Just as the "prophet in his own country" is not very valid, talents with high potential are often not recognized. Employees have acquired competencies that no one knows about, are overshadowed by the others, have wishes, interests regarding career, workplace, work models, etc. that they do not articulate, but are also not asked about.
When we talk about talent, we don't just mean the "high potentials" in the field of experts, but talent at all levels"!
Systematic talent and competence management provides a remedy here. At this point, however, the "famous 100 excuses" appear: "This is only something for large companies" [excuse for SMEs] or this is too bureaucratic and schematic and does not address individuality [excuse for companies with 500 or more employees]. Both are excuses for not doing something.
There are competence management systems that work almost "plug and play". This includes defining and recognizing the competencies that are relevant for success in the company now and in the future [competence diagnostics] and developing these competencies individually [competence development].
Loosely speaking, "Don't look for the stars [in the "war for talent"] on the market, but make your employees stars!"
We as a company for business psychology and organizational dynamics have been dealing with exactly this topic for 12345 days. Our managementcube | competence system offers the possibility to implement a professional talent and competence management in your own company with little effort.
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Sources:
- Institute for Business Education Research [IBW] survey of 4000 companies [Fall 2022]; quoted from Melanie Raidl Karrieren-Standard Nov. 20, 2022.
- PWC study [Fall 2022]: quoted from Melanie Raidl Karrieren-Standard 11/20/2022.
- Josef Wegenberger [2012] in the context of a lecture on the topic "With the right set-up to success".
