Private sector employers in Finland say that the biggest obstacles they face to hiring include a lack of qualified candidates and a reluctance among some people to accept work for fear of losing benefits.
Finland's largest private sector business lobby group EK polled member companies about recruitment practices. Employers surveyed said that applicants' skills set does not match firms' requirements.
When asked if the firms had problems finding suitable candidates for positions, 26 percent of the survey's 550 respondents said that they had significant problems, while another 41 percent answered that they had some problems in this area.
EK reports that that survey revealed that the difficulties were not limited to just Finnish companies that are growing quickly, as the same trend has been reported among firms that have achieved a stable position in the markets, as well as others that are still seeking steady growth.
"The phenomenon is made most apparent in older small and medium-sized enterprises that have gained a good foothold in the Finnish business community. Companies like this are the bedrock for commerce throughout Finland," the confederation states in a press release.
EK says it has long been aware of the shortage of skilled labour but it has proven to be a surprisingly stubborn challenge for employers across the board.