Of Egil M Solberg | 07.05.2024 08:19:54
Labor market: “This could be an early sign of cooling in an otherwise warm labor market,” says director of NAV Rogaland, Merethe P. Haftorsen.
According to NAV Rogaland’s annual company survey, more employers expect an increase in the number of employees than expect a reduction.
Most businesses still expect to have roughly the same number of employees as today.
At the same time, the survey shows that the businesses lack a total of 5,028 people. This is an increase of approx. 300 people compared to last year, but somewhat lower than in 2022.
Only Oslo and Vestland have a greater shortage of labor than Rogaland.
On the other hand, the proportion of companies reporting recruitment challenges has fallen slightly, and now applies to one in five companies.
Fewer businesses expect an increase in the number of employees
During the next year, 18 per cent of businesses in Rogaland expect more employees. 73 per cent expect the same number of employees as today, and 9 per cent expect fewer employees.
The proportion of companies that expect the same number of employees in the next 12 months is higher this year than last year.
“The optimism linked to employment is at a lower level compared to previous years,” says Merethe P. Haftorsen.
The net expectation (proportion of companies that expect an increase, minus the proportion that expects a decrease in the number of employees) this year is 9 per cent. This is lower than in spring 2023, when the net expectation was 14 per cent.
The largest net expectation is in mining and extraction (43 per cent), information and communication (36 per cent) and industry (33 per cent).
“High activity in the oil and gas sector means that this year too there is a very high net expectation in the number of employees in mining operation and extraction,” Haftorsen explains.
Financing and insurance activities, and merchandise trade and motor vehicle repairs have a net expectation of 0 percent.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the only business group in the survey with a negative net expectation of -4 per cent. In this industry, 96 percent of respondents expect the same number of employees as today.