- IT & Communications (ITC) polls at 62% as the most attractive sector to work in, outpacing Engineering from the top spot in Randstad’s most up-to-date global research
- This comes as the attractivity gap amongst sectors narrows, with Automotive and Engineering jointly reaching the second spot at 60% a piece
- Despite favorable sectors, 58% of workers feel they are not skilled enough to enter the most attractive industry
New research from Randstad, the world’s largest talent company, shows that ITC returns to pole position as the most desirable sector to work in. Randstad’s Employer Brand Research (REBR), surveying employees representative of 75% of the global economy and gauging the views of approximately 163,000 working age individuals, finds that 62% of the global workforce is willing to work for a company in ITC. The sector returns to the top spot after a brief takeover by Engineering in 2022. Prior to that, ITC had led for four consecutive years.
The release of this report comes as 89% of those surveyed indicate a keen interest in learning and development opportunities, with more than a quarter willing to retrain for an entirely new role and one in ten willing to improve their digital skills. At the same time, employees continue to maintain a clear desire for a healthy work-life balance and alignment of values at work: 54% would quit a position if they felt no sense of belonging and a third would rather be unemployed than remain unhappy in their jobs*.
IT & Communications holds a narrow lead as global sector attractivity gap narrows
ITC is followed closely by Automotive and Engineering (joint second place), Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and Life Sciences. 60% of respondents said that they would be willing to work in Automotive, which has grown by 6% since 2021 and holds the number two spot for the first time. The industry includes roles such as industrial designers, truck drivers, fuel technicians and specialists working to improve the sector’s carbon footprint.
The Engineering sector is ranked third in attractiveness by the survey respondents, maintaining its 60% score since last year. FMCG and Life Sciences rounded out the top five most attractive sectors, growing by 4 and 5 percentage points respectively since 2022.
REBR continues to find regional differences in terms of which industries talent view as the most attractive. While European employees, for example, rank the Automotive sector (47%) as number one for the second consecutive year, North America places Engineering (61%) at the top spot. Meanwhile, Latin America is the only region in which Logistics holds a place in the top three, with 67% of employees identifying that sector as the second most desirable after Automotive (72%).
reskilling and upskilling must become a priority for all
Although REBR respondents are clear on their preferred sectors, this is not fully mirrored by employees viewing themselves as readily skilled to work in such industries. Retail and hospitality, which does not make the top 5 most attractive sectors, leads in employee skills readiness at 44%.
While ITC is the most attractive sector, 58% of staff do not believe they are ready to work for an employer in that sector. Across the board, a mere 39% of office-based employees see themselves as sufficiently skilled to work in any sector.
the key takeaways for business
Tight labor markets and the ability of employees to be selective about where and for whom they work requires businesses to consistently review their talent offering. This includes creating a better talent experience by shifting a mindset towards seeing employees as clients. Improving flexibility and autonomy for staff will also remain fundamental in a well-placed, resilient talent strategy.
about REBR
The Randstad Employer Brand Research is the most comprehensive, independent and in-depth employer brand research amongst working-age adults in the world, identifying the most attractive employers among thousands of companies. The research surveys the views of over 163,000 people across 16 sectors and 32 markets. It provides insights into the perceptions and drivers of choice of survey respondents. The research addresses questions such as “Why do people prefer one company, or a specific industry, over another?” or “What motivates them to stay with an employer or start looking elsewhere?” The research, conducted since 2000, is conducted by Randstad’s international research partner, Kantar. Respondents for the 2023 research were polled in January 2023.
about randstad
Randstad is the world’s largest talent company and a partner of choice to clients. We are committed to providing equitable opportunities to people from all backgrounds and help them remain relevant in the rapidly changing world of work. We have a deep understanding of the labor market and help our clients to create the high-quality, diverse and agile workforces they need to succeed. Our 46,000 employees around the world make a positive impact on society by helping people to realize their true potential throughout their working life.
