MILWAUKEE, May 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ManpowerGroup's annual Talent Shortage Survey, released today, reveals that 32% of U.S. employers report difficulties filling job vacancies due to talent shortages. This marks a decrease of 8%, falling from 40% in 2014. Globally, the percentage of employers experiencing difficulties continued to rise, increasing from 36% in 2014 to 38% in 2015.

Among U.S. employers, 48% acknowledge that talent shortages have a medium to high impact on their business, but few are putting talent strategies in place to address the problem. One in five U.S. employers is still not pursuing strategies to overcome talent shortages, despite the negative impact on their business. This is up from 12 months ago when 13% of U.S. employers reported they were not pursuing strategies to overcome talent shortages.

"Talent shortages are real and are not going away," said Kip Wright, senior vice president, Manpower North America. "Despite impacts to competitiveness and productivity, our research shows fewer employers are trying to solve the problem through better talent strategies. As the struggle to find the right talent continues, and candidates with in-demand skills get the upper hand, employers will be under pressure to position themselves as 'talent destinations' to attract the best workers that will drive their business forward."

For the sixth consecutive year, skilled trade vacancies are the hardest to fill in the U.S., and for the fourth consecutive year, skilled trade roles are the hardest to fill globally. Also on the list of hardest to fill jobs in the U.S. are drivers and teachers.

43% of U.S. employers say talent shortages are having a negative impact on their ability to meet client needs. Consequences include:

• Reduced competitiveness and productivity (41%)
• Increased employee turnover (32%)
• Higher compensation costs (32%)
• Reduced employee engagement/morale (32%)

When asked why they are struggling to fill certain jobs, employers cite a lack of applicants (33%), lack of experience (19%), and lack of technical competencies or hard skills (17%). Technical competencies employers seek include industry-specific professional qualifications (7%) and trade certifications (7%).

For more details on the U.S. talent shortage, including the complete report and infographic, visit ManpowerGroup's U.S. Talent Shortage microsite.

Summary of Global Results

Hiring managers report the most severe talent shortage in Japan (83%). Around two in three employers report difficulty filling jobs in both Peru (68%) and Hong Kong (65%), while talent shortages are an issue for 61% of employers in both Brazil and Romania.

Across all 42 countries and territories as a whole, employers report that skilled trades vacancies are the hardest to fill, as was the case in each of the previous three years. However, the second hardest job to fill has changed from 2014, with sales representative roles rising up the list from fourth, meaning that the engineer category slips from second to third and the technician category from third to fourth this year.

Employers report considerably more difficulty recruiting drivers in 2015, with the category climbing the rankings from 10th to fifth, while the production/machine operator category is new to the top 10 this year, climbing from 12th to 10th. Moving in the other direction, the sales manager category slips out of the top 10 in 2015.

For more details on the talent shortages around the world, including an interactive data explorer tool, an infographic and thought leadership blogs, visit ManpowerGroup's new Talent Shortage microsite.

Note to Editors

ManpowerGroup surveyed 41,748 employers in 42 countries and territories during the first quarter of 2015 to explore the extent of talent shortages within the global labor market, which job categories are particularly hard to fill and why, the impact of talent shortages on businesses, and how employers are responding to the challenges raised by the lack of available talent in specific job categories.

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup^® (NYSE: MAN) is the world's workforce expert, creating innovative workforce solutions for more than 65 years. As workforce experts, we connect more than 600,000 people to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day. Through our ManpowerGroup family of brands – Manpower^®, Experis^®, Right Management^® and ManpowerGroup^® Solutions – we help more than 400,000 clients in 80 countries and territories address their critical talent needs, providing comprehensive solutions to resource, manage and develop talent. In 2015, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the fifth consecutive year and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com

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SOURCE ManpowerGroup

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