Survey reveals U.S. employers making strides to build sustainable workforces

ManpowerGroup has released the results of its eighth annual Talent Shortage Survey, revealing 39 percent of U.S. employers are having difficulty finding staff with the right skills, down from 49 percent in 2012. U.S. employers report a slightly more pronounced talent shortage than their global peers, 35 percent of whom report difficulty finding the right people for key roles.

"Our survey results demonstrate that U.S. employers have awakened to the realities of the talent shortage and are implementing innovative strategies to work through the business challenges it brings," said Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup president. "However, year after year, we see little difference in the roles employers have trouble filling. As talent shortages in key areas persist, we need to focus on training programs that create opportunity for employers to fill their talent gaps, and for job seekers to obtain an in-demand skill and achieve employment security."

U.S. employers report that skilled trades positions are the most difficult to fill, the fourth consecutive year this job has topped the list.

Among the more than 1,000 U.S. employers surveyed, respondents said they are having difficulty filling open positions because candidates lack technical competencies/hard skills (48 percent), candidates lack workplace competencies/soft skills (33 percent), and because of a lack of available candidates (32 percent).