(28.08.2024) The ongoing labor shortage continues to concern businesses. Despite a tighter job market and rising unemployment rates, over half of SMEs (51%) are struggling with recruitment challenges, according to a study released by the insurer Axa.
Over a quarter (28%) of the surveyed companies report a rise in wage demands, while 23% are experiencing increasing pressure related to work schedules. Nearly one in five SMEs (18%) anticipates resistance from staff in response to a potential increase in workload. The study's authors suggest that companies often have little choice but to accommodate these demands if they wish to fill their vacant positions.
Some employers have already taken proactive steps. Nearly half of the surveyed companies now offer part-time work options (48%) or more flexible work arrangements (47%). A third of these companies (33%) provide additional benefits in kind, while one-fifth (21%) are offering significantly higher salaries.
Only 40% of SMEs offer apprenticeship positions, even though this approach is widely recognized as an effective way to recruit and retain employees. Among employers who train apprentices, nearly two-thirds rely on this strategy to ensure a workforce better equipped to meet the company’s specific needs. Moreover, more than half (51%) believe that staff trained in this manner are less likely to change employers.
However, nearly one in seven companies reports opening apprenticeship positions without successfully filling them. This lack of interest is especially pronounced in the industrial and construction sectors. Young people are more inclined to choose apprenticeships in the service industry, which they perceive as more attractive and better compensated.
Last modification 28.08.2024
