Share

Skills shortage hampers business - survey

Johannesburg - A shortage of key skills is affecting business growth and requires government intervention, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) recently found in an international survey of business leaders.

"Businesses are struggling with a widening mismatch between the skills of their workforce and the skills they need to achieve strong growth," PwC human resource services director Gerald Seegers said in a statement.

"There needs to be a joint approach to addressing the problem, with businesses and governments working together to plug the skills gap."

While more than half of the 1300 chief executives surveyed globally found the skills shortage a problem, 82% of African business leaders identified it as threatening their potential for growth.

In South Africa, the level of concern declined from 84% in 2011 to 71% last year.

The research showed that mining, energy, engineering and construction companies experienced the most chronic shortage of skilled employees.

South African chief executives were more positive than their global counterparts about the effectiveness of leadership development in their companies.

Almost 90% regarded programmes to encourage diversity among business leaders and to involve managers below board level in strategic decision-making as most effective.

Nearly 60% of those surveyed said governments needed to prioritise creating and encouraging a skilled workforce in the year ahead.

Almost two-thirds of the business leaders regarded rising tax burdens as a threat their business growth.

"The most successful companies will combine recruitment with developing the people they already have," Seegers said.

"Those with a balanced approach to growing their own talent and buying in key skills are most likely to succeed."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.89
+0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.84
+0.3%
Rand - Euro
20.36
+0.4%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.30
+0.3%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders