Nearly 40% of employers in Hong Kong are still struggling to find qualified job candidates, while China is fairing much better—according to the findings of Manpower’s latest annual talent shortage survey. The survey revealed that 37% of employers in Hong Kong and 32% of employers in the Asia Pacific region are continuing to struggle to fill positions available despite the economic crisis. In the Asia Pacific region, talent shortage appears to be least problematic in China (15%) and India (20%).
The findings reveal that Taiwan (62%), Japan (55%) and Australia (49%) are the top three countries where employers are having the most difficulty finding the right talent to fill jobs. Within the Asia Pacific region, Hong Kong (37%) is ranked fifth while New Zealand (39%) is ranked number four.
“Despite the high levels of unemployment where more people may be looking for jobs, they don’t generally have the specific skills that employers are expecting. The key is that there are jobs requiring more refined skills that are hard to find the right talent who are well versed in those skill sets.” said Lancy Chui, GM, Manpower Hong Kong and Macau Operations. Chui advised, “…employers should shift their mindset to think more strategically and focus on training up staff with the required qualities to take up roles which are difficult to fill.” She added that it is also “crucial to change staff’s mindset so as to enhance their skill sets.”
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
