Skills shortage

In recent years, the shortage of skilled workers has worsened massively. The Swiss Skilled Worker Shortage Index currently stands at 27%*. We talk about a shortage of skilled workers when there are more vacancies in a profession than there are job seekers to fill them. What exactly does a shortage of skilled workers mean? What are the reasons for this trend? And what measures can be taken to combat the shortage of skilled workers?

You can find out the most important information about the shortage of skilled workers in our latest blog post. We wish you an enjoyable read!

What does a shortage of skilled workers mean?

A shortage of skilled workers refers to a state of shortage in an economy in which a significant number of jobs for employees with certain qualifications cannot be filled because there are no suitably qualified skilled workers available on the labor market. Signs of a shortage of skilled workers can be, for example, above-average increases in the wages of workers in a particular field.

Which industries are most affected?

The following occupational groups most affected:

Reasons for shortage of skilled workers

One of the main reasons for the shortage of skilled workers trend is the declining immigration rate of skilled workers from other European countries. According to statistics, fewer and fewer employable persons are immigrating to Switzerland.

In addition to demographic trends, other social factors such as career opportunities, social prestige, wage levels and further training opportunities influence young people's career choice behavior.

Measures against shortage of skilled workers

Companies have a variety of tools at their disposal to combat the shortage of skilled workers...:

1- Talent pool

The introduction of a talent pool is the first step towards systematic and automated recruiting. The idea of a talent pool is basically that dossiers of applicants who once applied for a job at your company are collected categorized according to certain criteria in order to be able to fall back on them when a vacancy arises. A prerequisite for the successful use of a talent pool is its systematic structure, so that recruiters later have a comprehensive overview of the talent. The candidate data must be structured according to different applicant groups so that they can be addressed accordingly when a vacancy arises.

In order to be able to choose from as many talents as possible, the pool should be continuously expanded. The following sources can be used to expand the talent pool:

• Social Media Recruiting
• Networking at career, university and trade fairs
• Employee recommendations
• Second Best Applicant
• Active sourcing

Use of the internal possibilities 

• Continued employment of older professionals beyond retirement age
• Regular training for internal employees to make them fit for new tasks. Or external courses to acquire specific expertise, especially in the IT area.
• Promotion and development of young professionals. Young, talented individuals can be promoted and prepared for higher tasks with special programs.

2- Employer Branding 

The term "employer branding" is associated with a strategic measure in which concepts and measures from marketing are applied to attract new potential employees to one's own company.

The goal of employer branding is to generate a high level of awareness as well as positive perception of a company among existing employees, potential employees and other stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, parents, shareholders, etc.

Employer branding measures are designed to increase the company's attractiveness as an employer.

A modern employer branding contains the following points:

• Attractive salary
• Good further training opportunities
• Safety of the workplace
• Recognition and appreciation
• Social benefits

Companies can disseminate their employer branding strategy through the following communication channels:

• Own company website
• Career website
• Job portals
• Blogs
• Social media networks
• Search engine marketing

For more on the topic of active sourcing and employer branding to shape your recruitment strategy, check out this article. (Link: https://www.batterman.ch/in-5-schritten-zu-ihrer-rekrutierungsstrategie/)

3- Active Sourcing 

Active sourcing refers to the measures in the recruiting process by which contact is established with potential candidates and an attempt is made to retain them. Candidates are identified and contacted on the basis of their profile in social networks such as LinkedIn, XING or Facebook. As soon as the competencies and professional experience fit the company in principle, an attempt is made to establish a business contact. 

Sourcing can take place online via social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, XING or LinkedIn, but also offline at university fairs, career fairs, recruiting fairs, seminars or workshops. 

Active sourcing and employer branding are among our core competencies. In addition, we, at Batterman Consulting, have a rich and diverse talent pool so that we can best support you in recruiting talented professionals.

We at Batterman Consulting: We serve you better! 

If you are currently looking for specialists, please contact us without obligation. We will be happy to work with you to develop the right recruitment strategy and take over the active search for the right people for you. You can find our products and services here: https://www.batterman.ch/fuer-unternehmen/#produkte