Randstad: Global employment trends in clients

More needs to be done in order to ensure that the future of the jobs market is kept thriving, as countries across the globe continuously report that unemployment rates are dropping.

According to Margriet Koldijk, managing director Global Client Solutions at Randstad Holding, the most prominent concerns looming for those looking to keep the jobs market positive include promotions within companies and the replacing of aging workforces.

Ms Koldijk says that more needs to be done to push internal mobility, whether it be on sideways or an upper movements, to allow staff to move within a company, an aspect which is currently very strong within IT jobs.

Her comments were echoed by Chris Mead, general manager of Hays in Singapore, who said that retention of high performing staff by allowing them to reach their career goals was vital in making sure the company performs well.

“It's about developing the right people into the right roles, whether that's a vertical or a lateral move,” he added.

Ms Koldijk also went on to say that aging workforces need to be addressed across the globe, as countries where there is a lack of skills coming through, such as Australia, could end up suffering a loss of a skilled workforce.

Such a problem is also in evidence in the UK, where it was reported recently by the Federation of Small Businesses that many small companies starting out fail to find people who have the adequate skills, with 27 per cent saying that they felt the right talents were not available amongst youngsters.

However, this is a problem which many countries are now looking to address, such as in the UK, where Scottish youth employment minister Angela Constance launched a £1.5 million scheme to help companies employ younger people, and give them specialist training to work in skilled industries.

“We know that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as those who have been in care or young carers, find this more difficult. That's why I am targeting £1.5 million to create up to 1,000 opportunities,” she said.

The Randstad expert also went to on to tell those looking into global client trends that another issue many of its clients were now looking at was the employment of people across borders, which was now becoming more prominent, especially professionals.

These comments come at a time when it was said that labor migration to China accounts for almost half of those who move to the country on a yearly basis. It was reported by China Daily that 104,300 of the foreign residents in Shanghai have moved to the country on either short term business trips for the likes of building contacts, or to take up longer posts within companies.

Randstad says that this is becoming a more prominent discussion point for those who are looking into employing people, as emerging markets can mean that places with a high percentage of skilled jobs can pick and choose their candidates.

“Shanghai has seen a rapidly increasing flow of foreigners coming for jobs over the past three to five years, and the trend continues and is expected to grow significantly in the near future, given the booming local economy,” Sun Haode, director of the labor and employment center for foreigners under the labor and social security bureau in Shanghai, said to China Daily.

Randstad also highlighted the clouding of the line between flexible working and permanent positions as a global trend for many of its clients, as the boundaries between the two become less prominent and less discussed.

The company said similar in its latest Employee Confidence Index, in which it said that many companies now take on seasonal employees at this time of year, with the idea being that a job is temporary, but this can lead further.

“While many of these workers would prefer full-time positions, one of the benefits of temporary or part-time employment is the ability to bridge into a permanent position down the road,” said Randstad in the report.

Overall, the employment market in 2012 looks like it will be boosted, with most companies having recently reported that they will be offering more jobs throughout the early part of the year. With these trends taken into account, and the moves taken to address them, Randstad said the economic growth and jobs market should look brighter throughout 2012.ADNFCR-2498-ID-801253015-ADNFCR