Have you heard about emotional intelligence? There’s a lot of talk about it, but what does it mean, and why should you care?

Emotional intelligence is the idea that your own emotions (and the emotions of others) influence your behavior. If you have high emotional intelligence, it means that you’re able to identify and recognize your emotions and understand how they affect your behavior. It also means that you’re able to identify and respond appropriately to the emotions of other people.

If you’ve ever wondered how important EQ really is, or what its impact is on the workplace, your relationships, or even your health, this blog post is for you! We want to share everything we know about EQ with you so that you can take control of your mood and be the best version of yourself!

People with high EQ tend to make better decisions in life—they’re more successful at work, they enjoy better relationships, and they’re happier overall.

Sounds pretty good right? So why don’t we all just take some pills and be done with it? Well, while there are medication options for mood disorders like anxiety and depression, there aren’t any magic pills for EQ. But the good news is that there are things you can do to improve your emotional intelligence. 

We know that emotions are hard to quantify—but not this time! We’ve put together this list of emotional intelligence statistics that can help you and anyone else get an idea of where they’re at with their emotional intelligence, where they’re going wrong, and what they need to do to improve.

Compelling Emotional Intelligence Statistics (Editor’s Picks)

• Nearly everyone (95%) thinks of themselves as self-aware, but only about 15% of people actually are.
• Peers were reported to be the most unaware co-workers.
• EQ is four times more reliable than IQ in determining success in your field.
• Leaders with empathy perform over 40% higher in employee engagement, decision-making, and coaching.
• Emotional intelligence has a 58% influence on job performance.
• 90% of top-performing employees have high emotional intelligence.
• 71% of hiring managers value EQ over IQ when looking for employees.

Self-Awareness Emotional Intelligence Statistics 

1. 95% of people think they are self-aware, but only 10–15% actually are.

(Harvard Business Review)

It seems a lot of people are in denial, according to this research by Tasha Eurich, an organizational psychologist.

Self-awareness is about knowing who you are and how you are perceived. It is crucial for career success, leadership effectiveness, and job performance. However, it looks like it isn’t commonplace in today’s workplace.

2. 99% of working American adults report working with at least one person who isn’t self-aware.

(Harvard Business Review)

In a survey involving 467 working adults across several industries in the US, nearly all of them have worked with at least one person who lacks self-awareness. On top of that, nearly 50% of the same respondents reported working with at least four such people.

3. Peers were reported to be the most unaware colleagues, with 73% of American workers reporting having at least one unaware peer.

(Harvard Business Review)

It looks like you don’t have to search far to find an unaware colleague. On top of having unaware peers, 33% of American employees reported having bosses who aren’t self-aware, and 16% reported having such clients.

Emotional Intelligence At Work

4. Employees with high EQ scores earn an additional $29,000 on average per year than those with lower EQ.

(Workforce.com)

High emotional intelligence is correlated to success and increased productivity. That’s why it doesn’t come as a surprise that employees with high EQ make more money than those with lower EQ. However, you shouldn’t worry too much, as your emotional intelligence improves as you get older, and you can develop it over time.

5. Every additional point in your EQ score means an additional $1,300 to your yearly salary.

(Vantage Circle)

Although IQ scores can also help determine someone’s proficiency in their career, having high EQ scores seems to be the bigger factor in determining success. That said, developing your emotional intelligence seems to have monetary rewards as well.

6. 75% of the Fortune 500 companies use emotional intelligence training tools.

(Vantage Circle)

The Fortune 500 companies are the top 500 companies in the United States. They’re on top for a reason: emotional intelligence training. These companies understand the benefits and crucial nature of emotional intelligence training, so they make it a point to include it in their arsenal of employee training tools.

7. EQ is four times more effective than IQ in determining who will be successful in their field.

(LinkedIn)

A 40-year study of UC Berkeley PhDs showed that EQ is more powerful than IQ in determining a person’s success in their given field — four times more, to be exact.

Skills like active listening, stress management, and empathy are contributing factors to a person’s success. Even the smartest person can benefit from having a higher EQ score.

8. Technical programmers with EQ scores belonging to the top 10% can develop software three times faster than their low EQ colleagues.

(IRMI)

This shows that even in jobs where you’d expect a lower EQ won’t matter as much, especially since they’re not client-facing jobs, it does still have an effect on productivity. Anyone can benefit from having high emotional intelligence — or at least conducting training to improve.

9. Leaders with empathy perform over 40% higher in employee engagement, decision-making, and coaching.

(Harvard Business School)

According to DDI, a global leadership development company, empathy is the number one skill that leaders have to be good at. Research shows that managers or employees in a leadership role are perceived to have better job performance when they are empathetic.

When leaders communicate to their direct reports with empathy, the team feels more supported, and individual members perform better.

How Does Emotional Intelligence Affect Companies?

10. Emotional intelligence has a 58% influence on job performance.

(Vantage Circle)

With this direct correlation between job performance and emotional intelligence, it would be wise for companies to invest in emotional intelligence training for their employees to have higher EQ scores.

Aside from improving their employees’ skills, emotional intelligence has to be taken into consideration as well to improve their performance.

11. Restaurants managed by people with high emotional intelligence grow their profit by 22% each year.

(EI Consortium)

With this statistic, there’s no denying that emotional intelligence impacts the profit growth of businesses. It seems that the key factors affecting productivity are emotional self-awareness, happiness, social responsibility, reality testing, and interpersonal relationship — all of which are components in emotional intelligence.

12. Workers who have managers with high EQ scores are four times less likely to quit than those with managers who have low EQ.

(LinkedIn)

When emotional intelligence is incorporated in business operations, employees feel secure enough to speak up about their concerns, business-related or otherwise. They’re also more inclined to express their ideas since they feel more heard, thereby increasing employee engagement and decreasing attrition rates.

13. 90% of top-performing employees have high emotional intelligence.

(CIPHR)

Employers may include emotional intelligence in their assessment when looking for employees who have leadership potential or who are next in line for a promotion or pay raise. You can still be a top-performing employee if you don’t have a high EQ score, but the chances are very slim.

On the other hand, high EQ employees made up only 20% of the bottom performers.

How Much Do Companies Value Emotional Intelligence?

14. 71% of hiring managers value EQ over IQ when looking for employees.

(CareerBuilder)

Companies understand that although having someone with strong hard skills is great, an employee with high emotional intelligence will be more valuable in the long run.

According to hiring managers, they’ve observed that employees with EQ are more likely to effectively and diplomatically resolve conflict, empathize with co-workers, and stay calm under pressure.

15. 59% of employers refuse to hire a candidate with a high IQ but low EQ.

(CareerBuilder)

People with a high IQ may have the hard skills necessary to be productive employees in the workforce, but if they have low EQ, they may be difficult to work with. That’s why employers aren’t willing to compromise. If someone has low EQ, they’re most likely not going to get hired even if they have a high IQ.

16. High EQ employees are favored over high IQ employees for a promotion 75% of the time.

(CareerBuilder)

Leaders with high emotional intelligence are more than likely to be productive and effective. They usually lead by example and give a lot of thought to business decisions. They also listen as much as they speak, which is a very good quality in employees in a leadership role.

17. 30% of HR managers think that employers don’t prioritize emotional intelligence enough during the hiring process.

(PR Newswire)

Although emotional intelligence is a key contributing factor to success, it’s not nearly as emphasized as it should be. However, with the rising awareness of the benefits of hiring emotionally intelligent workers or training workers to improve their emotional intelligence, companies are now taking appropriate action.

18. 40% of HR managers reported it’s more difficult for them to teach employees soft skills than technical skills.

(PR Newswire)

Soft skills include problem-solving, stress management, communication, and adaptability. These traits are usually harder to teach than, say, teaching someone how to use Excel. It usually takes a lot of training to train someone to have better soft skills, but the result is worth it in the end.

Emotional Intelligence Success Stories

19. Forty-four Fortune 500 companies found salespersons with high emotional intelligence had twice the amount of sales compared to those with low to average scores.

(IRMI)

The Hay Group conducted a study on 44 Fortune 500 companies and found that salespeople with high EQ brought in twice as much revenue as those with low to average emotional intelligence. This is hardly surprising, though — an effective salesperson has to be able to understand the needs of the prospective client to provide the appropriate product or service for them.

20. A large hospital decreased its nursing turnover by 50% within 18 months of imposing an emotional intelligence screening assessment.

(IRMI)

This large hospital had a nursing turnover rate of 65% prior to implementing the emotional intelligence screening assessment. Within 18 months, that rate dropped to 15%.

Employee retention has its benefits — reduced costs, lesser time and resources spent on training, improved employee morale, and increased productivity, among others.

21. A Fortune 500 company based in Texas that switched to an emotional intelligence-based assessment increased its employee retention by 67% in the first year.

(IRMI)

This Texas-based Fortune 500 company had previously used personality assessment in their hiring process for many years, but it wasn’t doing much to reduce the turnover rate. When they switched to an emotional intelligence-based selection assessment, they started to see results.

In the first year, the company saw the following results — increased employee retention by 67% and increased company bottom line by $32 million in increased sales and reduced turnover costs.

22. A Dallas corporation found that its employees with high EQ scores were 20 times more productive than those with low EQ.

(IRMI)

Keeping in mind the results of this recent study, we can conclude that any company can benefit from conducting emotional intelligence training among its employees to improve their EQ.

Additionally, they can also use emotional intelligence-based screening tests on top of other application screening tests that they impose.

Related Questions

What percentage of success is emotional intelligence?

According to TalentSmart, among 33 other essential workplace skills, emotional intelligence is the top factor in workplace performance, expounding that it contributes to 58% of any professional’s career success.

Moreover, employees with high emotional intelligence tend to earn $29,000 more per year on average than their peers with lower emotional intelligence. What’s even more shocking is that every additional point you get on an emotional intelligence test adds $1,300 to your yearly salary.

What is the average EQ score?

While the perfect EQ score is 160, the average ranges from 90 to 100. People with a high EQ score tend to be better at understanding and empathizing with others. If you have an EQ score that’s below average, you can increase your emotional intelligence by learning how to manage or reduce negative emotions.

Is emotional intelligence declining?

The Journal of Personality released new research, showing that three out of four facets of emotional intelligence have declined over the years. The meta-analysis involved 70 studies with 17,000 participants. It showed that well-being, self-control, and emotionality have declined over the years.

The meta-analysis also found that access to technology is linked to a decrease in self-control and well-being.

What are the five elements of emotional intelligence?

An American psychologist named Daniel Goleman helped emotional intelligence rise in popularity. He also named five key elements to it, namely:

1. Self-awareness entails being aware of how your actions and emotions can affect those around you.
2. Self-regulation is all about keeping yourself in check, so you don’t make rushed decisions or compromise your code of ethics.
3. Motivation involves being able to work toward your goals consistently.
4. Empathy means being able to put yourself in someone else’s position.
5. Social skills imply your ability to communicate well and resolve conflict in a diplomatic manner.

Conclusion

That was a lot of information, wasn’t it?

So, what did you think? We’ve gone through a lot of statistics about emotional intelligence, but we’ve only scratched the surface. Hopefully, this article has left you craving more information on emotional intelligence—and maybe even a little more emotionally intelligent.

Thank you for reading this blog post. We’re so glad you made it to the end of this article. We hope it’s cleared up some misconceptions, and given you a deeper understanding of what EI is and why it matters.

If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

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Sources

• CareerBuilder
• CIPHR
• EI Consortium
• Harvard Business Review
• Harvard Business School
• IRMI
• LinkedIn
• LinkedIn
• PR Newswire
• Vantage Circle
• Workforce.com

We have no idea how you’re feeling about this, but we’ve been totally obsessed with sparkling water lately.

It’s just so refreshing! And the bubbles are so fun! If you’re not on the sparkling water train (or if you’re the type of person who drinks seltzer to get their sass on), here’s a list of stats about sparkling water that will make you want to take a swig of your favorite bubbly beverage.

What? You don’t have one? Well, what are you waiting for?!

In fact, we’re so obsessed that we’ve gathered up tonnes of sparkling water statistics for your reading pleasure. How many bottles of sparkling water do Americans drink every year? What does the fizz in sparkling water actually do to your body? What are the health benefits of drinking sparkling water? (Hint: there’s a LOT.)

You’ll find all of this and more in our guide to the sparkling water phenomenon. Learn more about the popularity of sparkling water and how it stacks up against other beverages. We know you’ll find it interesting!

US Sparkling Water Statistics

We’re not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but sparkling water is everywhere in the United States.

It’s all over your Instagram feed, in your favorite new restaurant, and making its way into every grocery store (even Trader Joe’s now has their own version).

So why all the fizz? And who’s drinking it? We dug deep into all the data we could find to answer these questions and more. Here are stats we compiled about sparkling water in the US.

1. Sparkling water sales in the US exceeded $6.04 billion in 2021.

Estimates show a steady increase since 2017 when the sparkling water sales value in the US was estimated to be $4.04 billion. The corresponding figures for 2018, 2019, and 2020 stood at $4.52 billion, $5.03 billion, and $5.55 billion, respectively.

2. Sales of flavored sparkling water in the US are expected to reach $4.14 billion by 2022.

In absence of data for 2021 and 2020, the only previous forecast of the sort was reported in 2019 when it stood at $3.05 billion. Otherwise, flavored sparkling water retail sales stood at $2.72 billion the year before.

3. Americans are expected to purchase $3.21 billion worth of plain sparkling water in 2022.

While there’s no data for 2021 and 2020, the same type of forecast was reported in 2019 when the figure stood at $2.74 billion. The year before, on the other hand, plain sparkling water retail sales stood at $2.57 billion.

4. Sparkling Ice held 17.2% of the total sparkling water market share in the US in 2021.

The brand was closely followed by Private Label which accounted for 16.6% of the US sparkling water market share. The list of the top five brands is rounded by La Croix, Bubly, and Perrier, which held respective 13.2%, 8.5%, and 7% of the sparkling water market share in the US.

5. Sparkling Ice reported $723.54 million in stateside sparkling water sales in the US in 2021.

Private Label followed close with $701.13 million, while La Croix ranked third at $555.85 million. Bubly and Perrier rounded the list of the top five brands, reporting sparkling water sales of $358.83 million and $296.29 million, respectively.

6. In 2021, AHA reported a whopping 266.3% in year-over-year sales value growth in the US.

When observing sales value growth figures by sparkling water brand between 2020 and 2021, Spindrift ranked second with 73.8%, followed by Topo Chico with 40.4%.

Sparkling Ice recorded a YoY sales value growth of 25%, while the same figure for La Croix stood at 20%.

The list continues with Polar at 16.5%, Bubly at 13%, Private Label at 8.3%, San Pellegrino at 7.9%, and Perrier at 2.9% sales value growth between 2020 and 2021.

7. In 2020, Perrier sold 46.8 million units of sparkling and mineral water in US convenience stores.

At 30.6 million, Topo Chico ranked second among sparkling and mineral water brands with the most units sold in US convenience stores.

The list of the top five was rounded by Bubly, Sparkling Ice, and Schweppes, with 18.2 million, 17.6 million, and 7.8 million sold units, respectively.

8. Perrier made $81.9 million in sparkling and mineral water sales in US convenience stores in 2020.

Topo Chico ranked second with $55.9 million, followed by Sparkling Ice and Bubly with $27.3 million and $25.9 million.

The list of the top five brands with the most sparkling and mineral water sales in US convenience stores was rounded by Schweppes which made $12.9 million.

9. At 26.29%, sparkling water was mostly paired with chips in US restaurants.

Citrus fruits ranked second at 15.25%, followed by orders containing juice and soda, at 18.49% and 9.83%, respectively.

At 2.07%, berries also made it on the list of common sparkling water pairings in restaurants, followed by bread and cake at 1.63% and 0.92%, respectively.

10. Sparkling water accounts for 0.03% of the average American diet.

Even though it recorded a 34.06% year-over-year growth in consumption between the same month in 2021 and 2022, sparkling water is mostly consumed at home.

On the other hand, its popularity among restaurants stands at 7.14%, with the highest consumption penetration recorded in coffee shops, at 12%.

11. Sparkling water is the most popular beverage ingredients in US restaurants.

Sparkling water led the list of most popular beverage ingredients in US restaurants in February 2022, holding 34.95% of the share. In fact, sparkling water shared the first place with its still counterpart. Juices ranked second accounting for 12.25% of beverage ingredients, followed by sodas at 4.74%.

12. The average cost of sparkling water in US restaurants is $3.45.

The respective figure among inexpensive restaurants stood at $2.76, increasing to $3.61 in moderately-priced ones. Sparkling water cost $5.95 in expensive restaurants and a whopping $8.15 in very expensive ones.

Worldwide Sparkling Water Statistics

13. The global sparkling water market was worth $23.271 billion in 2021.

North America holds the largest share of this market at over 35%, followed by Europe.

The global sparkling water market is expected to reach $55.298 million by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7% during the same period.

14. Millennials in their twenties and thirties are among the groups most interested in sparkling water.

You know what they say: you’re never too young to take care of your health!

Recent studies have shown that the most health-conscious millennials, aged 25 through 34, are the key target market (demographic) for sparkling water

The results showed that a staggering 47% of respondents in the 25-34 age group are likely to consume sparkling water, followed by 38.5% in the 18-24 age group, 12% in the 35-44 age group as opposed to only 2.5 percent in the category of those over 45. 

This has been attributed to the fact that these younger generations have grown up with an emphasis on wellness, especially when it comes to eating clean. They are more likely to be aware of what’s in their food and drink, which leads them to make healthier choices overall.

Even if you’re not part of this age group, you should consider swapping out your soda for some bubbly instead!

15. Sparkling water expenditure per capita in Belgium stands at €16.

This figure was recorded in 2020 and is the highest one in five consecutive biannual studies. Per capita expenditure on sparkling water in Belgium in 2018 stood at €14, €13 in 2016 and 2014, and €10 in 2012.

16. Flavored sparkling water sales in Canada are estimated to reach $547.9 million in 2022.

In absence of data for 2021 and 2020, the only previous forecast of the sort was reported in 2019 when it stood at $438.2 million. Otherwise, flavored sparkling water retail sales stood at $383.4 million the year before.

17. Plain sparkling water sales in Canada are estimated to reach $525.8 million in 2022.

While there’s no data for 2021 and 2020, the same type of forecast was reported in 2019 when the figure stood at $435.7 million. The year before, on the other hand, plain sparkling water retail sales stood at $403 million.

18. The average household sparkling water expenditure is 249 DKK in Denmark.

The latest statistics report that this figure, recorded in 2020, was the same in 2019. The average household sparkling water expenditure between 2010 and 2018 stood at around 176 DKK.

19. The number of consumers drinking sparkling mineral water in France dropped to 4.287 million in 2020.

The above was a staggering 80% plunge from the 21.577 million recorded in 2019. This figure was also steady between 2014 and 2018, at an average of 21.6 million.

20. Unflavored sparkling water accounts for 15.6% of the total of 8.5 billion liters of water sold in France.

More than a quarter (26.9%) of the €2.4 billion in total water sales is accounted for by unflavored sparkling water. On the other hand, flavored sparkling water accounted for 1.2% of the total water sales in liters, translating into 3.4% of the total water sales value in euros.

21. At 86.3%, mineral water was the most purchased and consumed beverage in Germany in 2021.

Fruit drinks/juices/nectars ranked second at 49.7%, followed by coffee at 43.5%. Cola drinks and pils/export beers rounded the list of the top five most popular drinks, at 38.8% and 35.8%, respectively.

22. At a sales volume of 4.2 billion liters, sparsely carbonated is the most popular mineral water type in Germany.

The latest statistics also reveal that the sales volume of its carbonated counterpart stood at 3.5 billion liters. Furthermore, Germany produced 5.5 billion liters of sparkling mineral water in 2020.

23. Over 7.3 million consumers in Great Britain drink sparkling water.

The latest statistics point to a steady decline since 2016 when 8.6 million UK consumers drank sparkling water. The 5-year average between 2016 and 2020 stood at 7.9 million consumers.

24. The average price for a 1.5-liter bottle of sparkling mineral water in Hungary was 114 Ft in 2021.

The same figure was recorded in 2020, while 1.5-liter sparkling mineral water bottles were sold for 112 Ft in 2019. This price ranged between 102 Ft and 107 Ft between 2010 and 2018, at an average of nearly 104 Ft per 1.5-liter bottle.

25. Sparkling mineral water accounts for 39% of all mineral water consumption in Hungary.

The latest figures indicate that in 2020, mineral water consumption trends have been steadily decreasing since 2010 when this figure was at 60%.

The average sparkling water portion among the total mineral water consumption in Hungary between 2010 and 2020 stood at about 46%. On the other hand, the corresponding figure for semi-sparkling mineral water stood at a little under 8%.

26. Italian discount stores sell 348 million liters of sparkling mineral water, accounting for €52 million in sales value.

The latest statistics indicate that Italian discount stores sold 148 million liters of weakly sparkling and effervescent natural mineral water in 2020., however, the total sales value of each of them differed. Namely, weakly sparkling mineral water brought in €18 million while its effervescent counterpart accounted for €32 million in sales value.

27. The average retail price of a liter of sparkling mineral water in Italy is €0.21.

This is slightly cheaper than carbonated mineral water which sells for €0.25, but slightly more expensive than weakly sparkling mineral water which sells at €0.18.

28. Italian super and hypermarkets sell a little over 1 billion liters of effervescent mineral water, accounting for €260 million in sales value.

Italian super and hypermarkets sold 794 million liters of sparkling and 238 million liters of weakly sparkling mineral water in 2020. The former generated €193 million while the latter accounted for €51 million in sales value.

29. With an import value of ¥8.8 billion, France is Japan’s leading supplier region of mineral and carbonated water.

In 2020, the US ranked in second place with an import value of ¥5.5 billion, followed by Italy with ¥1.3 billion. The UK and Germany rounded the list of the top five mineral and carbonated water supply regions to Japan, at ¥441.2 million and ¥332.5 million, respectively.

30. 49% of consumers in the Netherlands said they were occasionally drinking mineral water in 2021.

When observing consumers by age group, mineral water was most popular among Gen Zers with 35% of them saying they drank it occasionally. The same applied to 24% of Gen Xers, followed by Baby Boomers (20%) and Millennials (19%).

31. 80,106 hectoliters of sparkling water were produced in Poland in 2021.

Out of those, 47,319 hectoliters were unsweetened and non-flavored sparkling water. Sweetened and/or flavored sparkling water production accounted for 32,787 hectoliters of the total production in 2021.

32. Russia produces over 30.4 billion liters of sugar-free non-flavored mineral aerated water.

Statistics from 2020 indicate a steady rise in production volume between 2018, 2019, and 2020. Production volume between 2010 and 2017 averaged 22 billion liters.

33. 69.1% of South Koreans reported consuming bottled mineral water in Q2 2021.

At 39.9%, Jeju Samdahsu was the most popular South Korean bottled mineral water brand in 2021. Nongshim Baksansu followed with 20.9% of consumers, while other brands reported less than 14% each in popularity among consumers.

34. Over 4.2 million consumers in Spain drink sparkling water.

The statistics obtained in 2020 point to an insignificant difference when compared to 2019, while the 7-year average between 2014 and 2020 stood at 3.9 million consumers.

Conclusion

Well, that’s it for now!

We’re so glad to have you along for the ride as we track this exciting new trend. 

It’s difficult to think of a beverage that has risen so quickly to such a lofty perch. Only 14 years ago, LaCroix was the only sparkling water commonly available in the United States. Today, the market is flooded with hundreds of brands selling sparkling water.

As with any fiery new trend, there are plenty of questions about whether this will last. But anyone who reads these statistics would be hard-pressed to bet against sparkling water. It is clear from these stats that this is not a passing fad; rather, it’s a drink that permeates every aspect of our lives.

With the trend still going strong, who knows where the future of sparkling water will take us? We can’t wait to see what happens!

We hope you found this post helpful for your research! If you have any questions about our stats or want us to dig deeper into a certain area, just let us know by emailing us.

Spritzing a little bit of fizz into your life is a great way to add a little extra fun to your routines, so try one of these options out today!

Thanks so much and see you soon!

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Sources

• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Tastewise
• ReportLinker
• The Daily Meal
• SMRA Global
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista

Do you know what the most important element of your company is?

It’s your team. Sure, your product and services are great, but it’s the people who make them happen. And when those people are happy and fulfilled, they’re more likely to stay with your company longer—and to bring in more business.

But the truth is that sometimes it can be hard to find and retain good employees.

If you’ve been in the recruitment industry for a while now, you’re probably well aware of the talent shortage.  In fact, a recent study found that talent shortage is at a 15-year high.

If you’re still new to the game, we’re going to break it down for you: There’s a shortage of skilled workers in almost every industry.

While that might sound like a nightmare scenario for recruiters and HR professionals, we see it as an opportunity to think outside the box and find talented professionals who are more than capable of doing their jobs well.

In this newsletter, we’ll be sharing several statistics on the talent shortage that will make your head spin—and what you can do about it.

Talent Shortage Statistics (Editor’s Choice)

Here are the most shocking facts and stats you’ll find below:

• 54% of global IT organizations reported that talent shortage was holding them back.
• Seven in ten employers have a hard time employing skilled workers.
• 75% of large companies with 250+ workers reported dealing with a skill shortage.
• 41% of employees worldwide consider quitting their jobs.
• Skill shortage could cost companies worldwide $8.5 trillion in unrealized annual revenues by 2030.
• 4.3 million American workers voluntarily quit their jobs in December 2021.
• European companies struggle with talent shortage the most.

As always, we have many more in stock for you! So, scroll down and learn all about the talent shortage trends that haunt recruiters and employers these days.

Latest Talent Shortage Stats and Trends

1. By 2030, there will be a workforce shortage of over 85 million people.

A recent Korn Ferry research focused on the global talent shortage forecasts that there will be over 85 million jobs and no people to fill them by 2030. By the study’s calculations, a shortage of that size – nearly as the population of Germany – would result in around $8.5 trillion in unrealized yearly revenues.

By the report’s estimates, here’s the expected talent shortage by country by 2030:

• Russia – 6 million
• China – 12 million
• United States – 6+ million
• Japan, Indonesia, Brazil – up to 18 million

(Korn Ferry)

2. Skill shortage is holding back more than half of global IT organizations.

In 2020, 54% of global IT organizations reported that talent shortage prevented them from expanding. Over the years, this figure has been much higher. For example, in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 the share of IT companies who struggled with hiring was 65%, 62%, 65%, and 67%, respectively.

If this trend continued, 2020 could’ve been the year when a record-high number of IT organizations would report having this issue. However, the global COVID-19 pandemic affected the hiring abilities and caused the drop we see now.

According to the survey focused on talent shortage in IT organizations, there were five hardest-to-find skills in 2020. These were organizational change management, advanced analytics, cybersecurity, technical architecture, and enterprise architecture.

(Statista)

3. 70% of employers report difficulties in hiring skilled professionals in high-demand sectors.

According to ManpowerGroup research on talent shortage, seven in ten employers have a hard time employing skilled workers. This is especially obvious in areas with high talent demand, such as Manufacturing and Production, Marketing, Sales, IT, and Operations and Logistics.

(ManpowerGroup)

4. Over 40% of global workers consider quitting their jobs.

Recent reports show that the number of employment opportunities and job postings was steadily growing in 2021. This recovery period after the initial shock of the global COVID-19 pandemic, however, hasn’t been welcomed as warmly as expected. Filling all the new openings is a struggle for many employers.

Moreover, about 41% of workers globally consider leaving their jobs after a stressful and uncertain year. Employers in Canada and the United States report fewer job applications from 12.1 in late 2020 to 4.4 in early 2021. On the other hand, the average number of days to hire increased, highlighting the prolonged process of finding talent.

(The Kable Group)

5. More than two-thirds of employers globally struggle to find employees with relevant skills and traits.

About 69% of companies have difficulties hiring workers with suitable skill sets accompanied by the right human strengths. These include reliability, discipline, stress tolerance, adaptability, accountability, and resilience for most employers. Among these, the most challenging soft skills to find for most employers (33%) are accountability, reliability, and discipline.

This figure represents a 15-year-high when it comes to the inability to find and hire the right workers. In 2020, for example, the talent shortage was affecting only 31% of companies or less than one-third. By 2015, this share had risen to 38%, only to progress to 40%, 49%, and 58% the following three years.

(ManpowerGroup)

6. The larger the company, the more significant the skill shortage.

The latest talent shortage statistics show that this issue affects large companies with 250+ employees the most. On a global level, 75% of such companies reported dealing with the inability to hire skilled workers. By comparison, respective 72%, 64%, and 63% of medium (50-250 employees), small (10-49 employees), and micro (less than ten employees) businesses have the same issue.

These figures, however, vary in different countries. For instance, in the United States, medium-sized businesses (36%) are the ones that struggle the most with finding suitable candidates. In contrast, in the UK, micro-businesses (84%) lead the way when it comes to talent shortage. In Australia, small businesses (72%) can’t seem to have an easy hiring process due to skill shortages.

(ManpowerGroup)

7. What employers offer versus what workers want is essential to closing the gap.

The latest data shows that 75% of companies want at least half of the employees to show up for work. This requirement isn’t always just a wish but often demanded by the role. Yet, 43% of the active workforce believes that the pandemic marked the end of traditional 9-5 jobs. About 80% of workers admit wanting a better work-life balance, and 81% want higher job satisfaction.

The inability to fill in positions, however, has pushed for positive changes among organizations. Flexible start and finish times (36%), a mix of remote and office work (31%), and flexible working hours (29%) are some of the most popular newly introduced perks.

(ManpowerGroup)

8. European employers are filling open positions the hardest.

In their global study on talent shortage, ManpowerGroup highlights European organizations as the ones with the most difficulties in hiring workers. France, Romania, and Italy were the countries where this issue was the most felt. On the other end came China, India, and South Africa where finding skilled employees wasn’t nearly as hard.

Here are some figures to give you a perspective of how the skill shortage affects various countries worldwide.

• France – 88%
• Romania – 85%
• Italy – 85%
• Turkey 83%
• Germany – 82%
• United Kingdom – 77%
• Japan – 76%
• Canada – 75%
• Argentina – 72%
• Australia – 67%
• South Africa – 46%
• India – 43%
• United States – 32%
• China – 28%

Interpretation: In the [country/city], as many as [number]% of employers are finding it difficult to fill jobs these days.

(ManpowerGroup)

9. Talent shortage is the biggest roadblock to adopting emerging technologies.

A study focused on emerging technologies adoption revealed that talent shortage was the biggest barrier for 64% of IT executives. In 2020, only 4% of these professionals gave the same response. So, it seems that talent shortage is a new issue that companies will have to find ways to resolve if they want expansion and growth.

By comparison, 29% and 7% of the IT executives cited implementation costs and security risks as significant adoption barriers for new technologies.

A similar situation was seen when it comes to implementing IT automation technologies and digital workplace technologies. Namely, talent availability was the primary concern for 75% and 41% of IT executives who work within these respective sectors.

(Gather)

10. The retirement of Baby Boomers is one of the talent shortage drivers.

By 2030, nearly all Baby Boomers will be out of the workforce due to retirement. Solely in Q3 of 2020, around 28.6 million of them left the labor force in the United States and retired. Companies seem to react slowly to this trend because millions of high-skilled jobs remain hard to fill due to the lack of adequately trained professionals.

Moreover, experts have seen that there has been a recent increase in the share of Baby Boomers who retire. This could create even more problems for companies seeking to find suitable replacements.

(Korn Ferry, PEWResearch)

11. 80% of the top ten in-demand jobs are in short supply of talent.

According to the 2020 What Workers Want report, the top ten roles in high demand in 2019 were the following:

• Skilled trades – welders, electricians, mechanics
• Sales and marketing – graphic designers, salespeople, managers
• Technicians – technical staff, quality controllers
• Engineering – mechanical, civil, chemical, electrical
• Driving and logistics – mass transit, delivery, construction, truck
• IT – network administrators, cybersecurity experts, tech support
• Accounting and finance – financial analysts, accountants, auditors
• Manufacturing – production, machine operations
• Construction – workers
• Healthcare – doctors, nurses, other health professionals

Among these, 80% have reported difficulties finding skilled workers. By contrast, roles like office administrators, project managers, researchers, and lawyers have lost their place among the top ten in-demand jobs. The main reason behind this seems to be the automation of repetitive tasks.

(ManpowerGroup)

12. Healthcare staff shortages are arriving in the United States.

In 2021, 83% of hospitals and healthcare system executives forecasted shortages of nursing staff. These are worrisome figures considering how the healthcare system is the cornerstone of every society. An additional 30% mentioned the lack of physicians as another serious issue coming our way.

(Statista)

13. Money is the best way to attract and retain employers.

While there are tons of studies showing how people differ by gender and age, this doesn’t seem to be the case when it comes to employment.

The latest figures show that both men and women, as well as Gen Zs, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers, all would take and keep a job for the salary. In all of these categories, money was named as the best way to attract and retain them as employees.

The other priorities, however, often vary. Flexible working hours and challenging work were popular picks, especially among workers from the younger generations. Younger employees also appreciated opportunities to develop their skills and work with a great team. The rest seemed focused on having a good boss and shorter commute times.

(ManpowerGroup)

14. More than half of video gaming executives agree that the technical talent shortage in the industry will grow.

Statista asked executives in the video gaming industry whether they think the skill shortage will grow in the period between 2019 and 2024. More than half (52%) responded positively, and nearly one-fourth (23%) of them strongly agreed with the statement.

(Statista)

15. The Canadian tech sector struggles with unmet demand.

The tech sector in Canada is a cornerstone of the country’s economy, providing more than 1.4 million jobs. A rapid growth, however, often means a talent shortage for employers. Between 2015 and 2021, the sector added over 16,500 new employment opportunities and noted an annual growth rate of 1.8%.

During the same period, the unmet demand was shocking 30,500 jobs, out of which 23,400 were tech roles and 7,100 non-tech ones. This figure has been growing fast over the years.

For instance, in 2016, the skill shortage counted about 5,300 roles, and then it nearly doubled to 10,570 the following year. It surpassed 20,000 as soon as 2019, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down

(BCTech Association)

16. In Canada, technical and interpersonal skills are the most needed junior-level qualifications.

Technical skills are very needed for nearly 60% of the companies and needed for nearly 80% of them. Interpersonal talents are very needed for nearly one-quarter of employers and needed for over 60% of them. Creativity and innovation round up the top-three competencies in high demand as this has been required by 60% of companies.

The other junior-level skills in high and moderate demand are leadership, entrepreneurship, and sales. But they are essential to less than 25% of organizations hiring.

(BCTech Association)

17. Skill shortage affects businesses in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, as well.

Most private businesses in the Sub-Saharan Africa region admitted having revenue losses due to a lack of skilled workers. For the respective 15% and 30% of the respondents, the losses were significant and great.

About 34% had slight revenue losses due to labor shortage, whereas only 21% of the survey participants didn’t have this issue.

(Statista)

18. Skill shortage was the second most challenging difficulty for hiring talent among cyber security companies worldwide.

In the 2018 Global Cyber Security Talent Survey, AON Hewitt mapped the top hiring challenges of cyber security organizations worldwide. The issues were ranked with grades from 1 to 5, with 5 being the biggest concern for companies.

Attracting top talent and skill shortages got the first two positions with scores of 3.31 and 3.23, respectively. They were followed by justifying pay premiums for niche roles (3.14), long hiring periods (2.98), and attrition (2.58).

(Statista)

19. Nearly half of executive search firms think that talent shortage is getting worse.

According to 2020 data, 45% of executive search firms believed that talent shortage worsened. Only 30% or less than one-third said they felt the situation was getting better.

The remaining respondents didn’t have any strong opinions on the topic. Still, these figures show that the shortage of talent is a significant concern for companies worldwide.

(Statista)

20. A record-breaking number of open positions in the United States.

In December 2021, there was a record-high number of job openings as employees could apply for one of 10.9 million roles. Another figure was equally shocking – 4.3 million American workers voluntarily quit their jobs the same month.

These figures show the struggles companies face when in demand of fresh talent. Moreover, the data reveals that 33% of applicants have ghosted potential employers. The main reason for doing so was the poor interview process.

(Robert Half)

21. Informed candidates lead to fewer hires?

Companies that struggle with hiring cite several reasons for failing to fill roles. Candidates wanting more flexibility (40%), accepting other offers (35%), and being unhappy with the salary offered (24%) are the top ones.

From workers’ perspective, there’s a trend of being more informed about what to expect and ask for. About 51% of candidates researched salary ranges for the roles they applied for.

Moreover, 33% and 25% calculated the ideal salary for their personal needs and discussed the payroll with colleagues, respectively. All these details make candidates have high and specific expectations that employers aren’t always ready to meet.

(Robert Half)

22. Nearly two-thirds of companies are adding new permanent positions.

Whatever the struggles of 2022 turn out to be, getting a job shouldn’t be one of them. Companies across all sectors report serious employment plans, with 65% of them adding new permanent positions and 33% hiring for vacant positions. Only 2% and 1% have announced plans to freeze hiring or eliminate jobs.

With such aggressive hiring plans among companies, the talent shortage will become more evident than ever. Skilled employees these days have numerous opportunities, and many of them can afford to ask exactly what they’re looking for in a job. Any company unwilling to meet recruits’ needs will struggle to hire top talent.

Note – the figures may not equal 100% due to rounding.

(Robert Half)

Conclusion

And now that you’re all caught up on the latest talent shortage statistics, we’ll leave you to get back to work finding candidates.

You know what’s going on (and why), you have the information you need to make positive changes in your business and industry. Hire an apprentice! Spice up your training program! Make sure you have a diverse staff with varying talents, backgrounds, and perspectives!

And make sure to share what you learn with everyone else, so we can all help each other out of this mess!

For others, don’t let talent shortages hold you back from pursuing your dream career or starting your own business. Don’t let them stop you from working for the company of your dreams—or maybe even starting that company yourself.

Businesses are having a tough time finding great talent, especially in the fields of IT, accounting, and sales. Interestingly, many of the skills that these positions need aren’t hard to learn—and there are plenty of easily accessible resources for those who want to learn them.

You got this. Now go show the world what you’re made of!

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Sources

• Korn Ferry
• Statista
• ManpowerGroup
• Statista, Gartner
• PEWResearch
• Statista
• BCTech Association
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Robert Half