According to the ManpowerGroup ‘2023 Talent Mismatch’ study, 8 out of 10 Spanish companies say they have difficulties incorporating the profiles they need, equaling the record shown in 2022. The incidence of the difference between what the job market offers and what companies are looking for has been increasing more and more sharply. In Spain it has gone from being practically non-existent, 3% in 2013, to scoring the all-time high in the last two years.
“The mismatch between what the market offers and what companies in Spain are looking for is a reality. We see it in all regions, and in all types of activities and types of companies. However, it is a complex phenomenon that does not obey a single factor and requires a deeper analysis. Each sector has its reality and we can find that in some there is a real lack of professionals; in others, that certain skills or abilities need to be developed; And finally, there are also industries where what companies are trying to incorporate does not match reality, either because too much is being asked or because the compensation is not aligned with the market. Neither will the same reasons affect a microenterprise and a large corporation.”, assures Francisco RibeiroCountry Manager of ManpowerGroup Spain.
“in an environment changing and demandingboth for professionals and companies, we must identify what skills are necessary and promote the development of people in these areas to ensure that they have access to the best possible job and, at the same time, to increase the competitiveness of Spanish companies”.
A matter of technical capabilities and soft skills
The talent mismatch shows a gap between the profiles required by companies to meet their needs and the capabilities that candidates have to cover them. Among the technical skills, the most required by companies are, by volume, IT and data, engineering, customer service, manufacturing, sales and marketing.
For their part, soft skills play a growing role and have become especially relevant in recent years. Among these, and from most to least demanded, are resilience and adaptability, the ability to work in a team, reliability, the ability to solve problems and proactivity.
The strategies of Spanish companies to reduce the talent gap
Among the strategies implemented by Spanish companies to attract and retain the professionals they need, flexibility is positioned as a key factor used by more than half of the companies. He value alternative sources or that they were not previously used to access candidates is the next most used measure, by 32% of those consulted. Economic improvements such as salary increases (24%) or signing bonuses or premiums for changing jobs (21%) and, finally, the automation of selection processes (20%) are the other main measures implemented as resource for attracting and keeping talent.
For their part, among the measures that companies implement to close the existing talent gap, the commitment to training stands out widely, since 68% of companies have reskilling and upskilling programs. Hiring new profiles is another of the most used tactics (48%), followed by investment in external consulting and/or hiring profiles -expert freelancers- for projects (37%) and, finally, investment in technology ( 3. 4%).
Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, at the forefront in talent mismatch
The talent mismatch does not affect equally in the whole of Spain. Above the national average (80%) is the northeast (Catalonia and the Balearic Islands), which is up three points compared to last year, with 84%. The northern zone (Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarra, La Rioja and Aragón) also exceeds the national average, with 81% and an interannual growth of 2 points. With the same percentage of mismatch, the northwestern zone (Galicia, Asturias and Castilla y León), although it improves by seven points compared to 2022.
Right in line with the national average the southern area is located (Extremadura, Andalusia and the Canary Islands), with 80%; however, it is the area where this imbalance increased the most in the year-on-year comparison, with a rise of seven points.
On the opposite side, with the lowest mismatch index and below the national average, the central zone (Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha), with 78%, and the east (Region of Murcia and the Valencian Community), with 76 %.
The talent mismatch by sector
Although all sectors are affected by the talent mismatch, in Spain it has a special impact on advertising and communication (91%). IT (84%) and consumer goods and services (83%) are also affected, closely followed by health and pharmacy (82%) and industry (81%).
Below the national average are transport, logistics and automotive, and energy and supplies (both with 78%). Close the list, with the least acute result, the financial and real estate sector (74%).
