Post Pandemic Skills Gap
It’s an understatement to say that all businesses have been permanently impacted by the pandemic in many facets of their operation. One area that has been particularly difficult for all businesses ranging from retail to manufacturing, is the finding the necessary skilled employees, and this is not just a challenge in Atlantic Canada.
As we have transitioned from the unknown and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are now dealing with another crisis – a global skills shortage. Overnight digitization and the advent of remote work has resulted in a candidate-led market, one in which employers must work extra hard to secure and retain talent.
Globally this has been coined as the “Great Resignation” where employees are either retiring early or leaving careers for other opportunities. Human Resource teams need to reassess and re-evaluate how and where to find the skilled talent that businesses need to thrive. A recent report from Indeed found that 79% of businesses find it difficult to hire workers and 80% of employers have had to make changes to their hiring practices in order to attract talent in the current market.
Since this skills gap is not going away anytime soon businesses should take this opportunity to carefully look at their operation to see where they can be more efficient.
Companies around the world are benefitting from advanced technologies but Atlantic Canada has been slow to embrace this transition. Advanced manufacturing helps businesses improve their efficiency by implementing smart technologies. This does not have to be costly or complicated and manufacturers can greatly benefit from even the smallest of changes.
Timing is crucial for manufacturing companies to implement smart processes to boost their productivity and competitiveness, reduce operating costs and improve the quality of their products and services. With the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the horizon, investment not just in technologies but in people who understand technology is essential.
Visit the Forge Ahead website at www.forgeaheadatlantic.com to learn more about Advanced Manufacturing and how companies right here in the Atlantic Provinces are implementing advanced manufacturing and automation processes to address the skills gap challenge head on.
