82 Percent of Employers in Greece Report Skills Shortage

The demand for skilled workers in 21 European countries is not being met, with 75 percent of employers unable to find workers equipped for their roles in 2023, and Greece reporting the higher end of 82 percent.

A shortage of skill in the labor force is becoming a serious challenge for employers across Europe, as conveyed in a number of different surveys. In 2023, 54 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU reported that difficulties in finding employees with the desired skills were one of their most serious concerns, according to Eurostat.

Global workforce solutions company ManpowerGroup also reported that three in four employers in 21 European countries could not find the skills they were looking for – this was 42 percent in 2018, meaning a 79 percent rise in the last five years.

The survey, published in October 2023, showed that talent shortage is a monumental global problem. “Figures in our annual talent shortage survey increased dramatically, as the need for skilled workers is becoming more and more acute,” Mara Stefan, VP of Global Insights at ManpowerGroup told Euronews Business.

Where does Greece Stand in this Latest Survey?

Within the survey results, on average, across 21 European countries, 75 percent of employers said they had difficulty filling various job roles, ranging from 59 percent in Finland to 82 percent in Germany and Greece, with Greece having reported a 61 percent skills shortage in 2018, an increase of 21 percentage points.

“In Europe, we see falling unemployment, meaning there are not enough skilled workers to fill existing or new jobs. To exacerbate this, Europe has an ageing population, with a global decline in birth rates further contributing to the skills and talent gaps we see today”, Stefan underlined.

“This partly explains why Germany’s talent figure shortages are steeper than Finland’s. In 2023, Germany’s unemployment rate was 3 percent, whilst Finland’s was at 7 percent, resulting in a smaller pool for finding skilled labour,” she added.

‘Technicians’ Skills are needed the most

Technician roles exist in one-third of SMEs, but, the organizations typically find a shortage of technically trained staff, such as lab workers and mechanics. Almost half (42 percent) of European SMEs reported facing a dearth of technicians. Which is, by far, the most frequently-identified job role with skills shortages.

For SMEs who employ and rely on customer care experts, around 23 percent of respondents reported there was a skills shortage for these positions. This job category encompasses sales professionals, client advisors, receptionists and other people-facing employees.

Reasons behind the Skills shortages in Greece and Beyond

On average, 56 percent of employers in the EU responded detailing that there were few or no applicants when asked about the main reasons for their skill shortages, according to the Eurobarometer survey.

This was the primary factor, ranging from 18 percent in Sweden to 73 percent in Belgium. All Nordic countries reported fewer figures than the EU average in identifying a lack of applicants, while Norway and Denmark were not far off the average.

The main reasons given by employers included that applicants did not have the desired qualifications, skills or experience, closely followed by the lack of applicants at 54 percent. In the EU it varied from 41 percent in France to 70 percent in Estonia, with 64 percent of the respondents in Greece stating that not enough people with the correct skills were applying for jobs.

The EU Commission has underlined that labour and skills shortages have been increasing in all member states for almost a decade. These shortages are mainly driven by demographic shifts, the demand for new skills linked to technological developments and challenges related to working conditions.

“Across the board, the tight labour market in 2023 means many face challenges finding people with the needed soft and technical skills. Investment in upskilling, reskilling, and a focus on preparing people for tomorrow’s jobs has become–and will remain–more important and should be at the top of every business leader’s agenda,” Stefan told Euronews Business.