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Hunt for right talent expected to get more difficult
Dubai: Despite the economic headwinds, many companies in the UAE are still looking to hire new employees next year.
A new research showed that just under two-thirds of top bosses in the country are expecting headcounts to increase over the next 12 months. The vast majority (90 per cent), also expect payrolls to expand within three years.
As the need to recruit more talent increases, however, the hunt for qualified staff will get even more challenging, with many organisations still dependent on foreign human capital and employers worldwide are also going through a talent crunch.
So far this year, employers across the globe are having difficulty hiring IT staff, engineers, technicians, accounting and finance staff and special machinery operators, among others, according to ManpowerGroup.
Of the more than 42,000 companies surveyed recently, 40 per cent are having trouble filling roles, the highest level since 2007. Within the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, nearly four in ten (36 per cent) of employers are having difficulty filling vacancies, a rise from 32 per cent in 2015.
"Globally, employers report the highest talent shortage since 2007," ManpowerGroup said.
"CEOs are finding it more difficult to recruit specialised talent as opportunities elsewhere continue to blossom and there is greater competition for Emiratis, both seasoned and fresh graduates, who are increasingly aware of the need to contribute to organizations’ bottom lines," according to KPMG.
When asked which roles will most likely be difficult to hire for, CEOs in UAE forecast that there will be a shortage of professionals with specialist skills in the research and development and strategy sectors, including cyber security, digital, innovation and data and analytics.
Human resources experts had earlier said that the competition for the right talent in the UAE is already heating up, as organisations both in the country and abroad look to recruit candidates with specialist skills.
Among the jobs popular in UAE right now are those that fall in the accounting and finance, financial services and technology fields. Accountants, financial controllers, private banking sales professionals, IT security managers and anti-money laundering experts are just some of the roles that UAE companies are having trouble finding.
However, talent demand may vary depending on the industry in which a company operates.
In sectors where Emiratisation is widely promoted, there will be growing competition for locals, both experienced and just fresh out of school.
In organisations that are reliant on expatriate labour, top executives anticipate some challenges of hiring and retaining skilled and trained expatriates. “There was some concern expressed regarding the source of labour – with both regulatory pressures and competition for talent, not least from home countries that have seen steady economic growth.”
“CEOs believe that there is likely to be a significant gap for workers with strategic skills in the short term, including cyber security, digital, innovation, and data and analytics.”
Top 10 hardest skills to find globally*
1. Skilled trades: electricians, carpenters, welders, bricklayers, plasterers, plumbers, masons and more
2. IT staff: developers and programmers, database administrators and IT leaders and managers
3. Sales representatives: sales executives, sales advisors and retail sales people
4. Engineers: mechanical, electrical and civil engineers
5. Technicians: production, operations or maintenance technicians
6. Drivers: truck, lorry, heavy goods, delivery, heavy equipment and construction drivers
7. Accounting and finance staff: bookkeepers, certified accountants and financial analysts
8. Management/executives: senior and board level managers
9.Production/machine operators: operators of special machinery
10.Office support staff: secretaries, personal assistants, receptionists and administrative assistants
Source: ManpowerGroup
*As of 2016
© Gulf News 2016
