Grafton: loyalty will be the key word in 2017

Prague, 13 December 2016

Next year, the Czech job market will reach the so-called bottom. Even though the unemployment rate will not fall as quickly as this year, there will be practically no job applicants on the market. The market will reach a so-called natural unemployment level, which ranges around 4%. Unless restrictions are lifted from the job market in relation to workers from countries outside the EU, it is probable that we will see salaries rise by over 5%. This will be caused by the desire to retain existing employees and to reinforce their loyalty.

The demand for new employees exceeds supply in practically all economic sectors. According to estimates by the Grafton Recruitment Agency, the biggest shortage will be in relation to people in the processing industry and logistics, the lack of qualified people will also increase in the business services sector, which will offer thousands of new job opportunities thanks to growth. A number of jobs will also originate in research and development centres, as the Czech Republic has become a sought-after destination for establishing these. “The perennial characteristic is increased demand for people in the information technologies sector. According to our estimates there is currently a shortage of about twenty thousand experts on the Czech market,“ says Martin Ježek, sales director of Grafton Recruitment.

There is a lack of vocationally trained people, and secondary school and university graduates

The positions in highest demand next year will be operators in manufacturing and in logistics and also all technical positions. Companies are interested in vocationally trained candidates, secondary school and university graduates. In order for companies to succeed in the fight for employees, they must not only provide competitive salaries and benefits, but also offer employees interesting work and experience. The speed of the recruitment process will also be important. “Candidates are also starting to become interested in other aspects of the job, which have long been ignored by companies. This concerns location and the related commuting distance, the employer’s brand, corporate culture, working conditions, relations in the workplace, the immediate superior’s competence, the option of further education and career growth, participation in new projects, the option to balance work and private life, and similar. Employers should consider all these aspects when setting conditions,“ Martin Ježek commented.

Interest is focusing on the loyalty of employees

As well as recruiting new employees, a key topic on the job market will also be the desire to retain existing employees. “A good method of retaining employees is to invest in their involvement, loyalty and professional growth. However, companies must also take the personal lives of their people into consideration. Overtaxing tax, overtime work in the long-term and excessive stress are all frequent reasons why people leave their jobs,“ says Martin Ježek. Successful companies will be those that employ involved employees and also establish a positive image of themselves on the job market, i.e., companies which invest in their brand as an employer.

“I believe that a great challenge for employers on the current job market is whether they are capable of evoking the feeling of belonging to the company in their employees. Today’s young generation in particular needs to identify with the company’s values and mission, so that it is motivated to work. Even though many companies define these concepts in their strategy, they then fail to sufficiently communicate them or practically do not fulfil them, they do not live them,“ Martin Ježek added in conclusion.

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