Survey points to 'overwhelming' staff shortages
An "overwhelming" majority of New Zealand businesses are suffering key staff shortages and many expect the situation to get worse, a survey says.
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An "overwhelming" majority of New Zealand businesses are suffering key staff shortages and many expect the situation to get worse, a survey says.
Deloitte's survey, Talent Edge New Zealand, surveyed 360 employers across a broad range of economic sectors and company sizes.
Eighty-one percent of respondents reported they had at least moderate shortages.
Talent problems were real for companies and not an abstract concept, Deloitte partner Richard Kleinert said.
As many employers anticipated an increase in their workforce in the next three years, shortages were likely to worsen, he said.
"Businesses which aren't prepared in advance may be in for a rude awakening in the not too distant future."
The types of employees most in short supply included managers, IT professionals and accounting and finance, particularly chartered accountants.
Overall, employers were somewhat "bullish" about growth expectations for their business, with 45 percent expecting at least moderate growth while only 13 percent predicting contraction.
However, larger employers were less optimistic, with 30 percent predicting growth and 22 percent expecting contraction.
Meanwhile, most employers were not expecting significant turnover rates, with 48 percent expecting the level to be insignificant.
"These results are rather surprising and I'm a bit concerned that this may indicate employers have not recognised this as a potential problem in the near future," Mr Kleinert said.
It was time for employers to reflect on their "people strategy" and align it with their business aims.
"It's also important for businesses to update their talent strategies and people management practices to take account of the new economic circumstances, otherwise they could be in for a shock when the economy bounces back."
NZPA
Fri, 18 Feb 2011
Fri, 18 Feb 2011
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Survey points to 'overwhelming' staff shortages
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