Juliette Jain, an HR specialist with expertise in team and project management, suggests ways to address the talent shortage. According to her, companies should offer innovative working conditions that align with the life balance values of the younger generation.
How severe is the labor and talent shortage?
The Swiss Employers' Association estimates a shortage of 500,000 workers by 2030 and 1.3 million by 2050 in Switzerland. The causes are varied. Firstly, baby boomers are retiring as we face a declining birth rate. Secondly, the career expectations of the new generations have shifted towards a desire for a better work-life balance and personal satisfaction and development. Furthermore, there is a mismatch between the skills that employers need and those available in the job market. This is already evident in IT, healthcare, and certain industries. Hence, the importance of training, continuous education, skill enhancement, and retraining. Finally, there is a growing need for skills in jobs that do not yet exist, especially in connection with digital growth, ecological transition, and the development of artificial intelligence.
You emphasize the employer brand and the attractiveness of companies. Are they doing enough?
The employer brand is the employee experience that begins with the recruitment process and ends when the employee leaves the company, including talent retention within the organization. We are in a candidate-driven market. It is no longer a choice: every company, regardless of its size and reputation, must work on its employer brand. This means focusing on attractiveness and retention factors that contribute to its reputation in order to offer working conditions that stand out and align with the life balance values of the younger generation. This is essential to attract candidates, retain talent, and reduce the phenomenon of "great resignation" or "quiet quitting." Work hours per week, vacation offerings, schedule and location flexibility, and training opportunities are some of the parameters to consider. Structuring the recruitment process is another very important aspect. A short and well-structured process prevents candidate burnout, who might turn to other attractive offers that emerge in the meantime. An approach that promotes objectivity, led by trained professionals with interpersonal skills, and a marketing approach to appeal to potential future recruits make a difference.
Is continuous training a way to retain talent?
Internal training programs, encouragement to pursue external certified courses, and the conditions provided by the employer in terms of time and financial resources, are part of the employer brand and thus contribute to the attractiveness of the company. Each company should reinvest a percentage of its revenue in training. This is a way to develop skills internally instead of seeking them externally and to offer professional development opportunities that match employees' career aspirations. This latter point is often overlooked, especially in SMEs, due to ease and budget constraints.
Do you advocate for new employability models? Examples?
The era of the permanent, 8 AM to 5 PM employee is over. Young people are no longer attracted to this type of contract. More flexible models with recruitment based on skills and projects are part of the future norms. Examples include freelancers, contractors, transition managers or specialists, outsourcing of skills, and turnaround managers. The advantages include flexibility, and risk and cost management. Access to these professionals provides immediate added value. For example, there are services like the one I created (The Links) active in brokering transition and crisis managers, as well as providing outsourced specialists within 48 hours. This service meets a very recent need in Switzerland, which has intensified post-Covid. In conclusion, the current shortage of labor and talent is characterized by a complex interaction of skill imbalances, technological advancements, and changes in workforce expectations, requiring creative and flexible responses from employers.
Comments