Shortage of skilled professionals: Can silver workers save the digital industry?

The "DMEXCO CMO Briefing" is an exclusive LinkedIn newsletter aimed directly at marketing and communications executives. The briefing addresses current challenges or trends with the goal to showcase possible solutions oder adaptation tactics. In our first issue, Franz Herrlein founder and CEO of the HR Company Alpine One, addresses one of the most pressing issues in our industry: the shortage of skilled workers. Don't miss an issue of the DMEXCO CMO Briefing by subscribing to our newsletter. Enjoy the read and do not forget to subscribe,

Milko Malev , Director Communications & Media

Shortage of skilled professionals: Can silver workers save the digital industry?

A complimentary fruit bowl, business bike, and public transit pass? Part of the package. Flexible working models, the option to work from home, and a workation? Lots of companies now offer those. A better salary and tax-free bonuses? Goes without saying. Or do employers now have to promise a four-day working week or five-hour working day to entice staff? What can employer brands in the digital economy do when their employment packages no longer make them stand out from competitors, because what used to be a benefit is now the norm??

The shortage of skilled professionals is the biggest challenge in its industry

Many companies are currently faced with this question – not just in the digital economy. The shortage of skilled professionals is haunting many sectors in nearly every Western industrialized country. But how big is the gap expected to hit our economy? For Germany, for example, it is anticipated that there will be a shortfall of around three million workers in 2030. And 2030 is closer than many companies would like to think. DMEXCO has just conducted a market research study itself: the shortage of skilled professionals is the biggest challenge in its industry as well. And we’re not just talking about programmers and IT specialists here – marketing and communication experts are also in short supply.

Can we solve the problem? If so, how? Through immigration or outsourcing? AI support or even retraining staff from outside the industry? It’s important to note that all these points are relevant, but they won’t solve the problem, they’ll just mitigate it.

Shortage of skilled workers: Biggest obstacle to growth for 80 % of agencies

Of course, there are companies whose charisma and financial resources (usually funded via the stock exchange) will remain strong in the future, enabling them to attract talent and experts. However, that won’t work for the majority of companies. According to the German General Association of Advertising Agencies (GWA) , there is already a shortage of thousands of employees this year.

Why? Because many communication and digital companies wrongly equate innovation, creativity, and digitalization with youth. And because HR departments usually limit their search to generations Y and Z. As a result, companies are all vying for the same, increasingly depleted personnel pool – younger people no older than in their mid-40s. The consequence of this absolute employee market is already being felt now: salaries are spiraling upward and staff turnover rates are rapidly increasing.

If they want to work, why should they leave?

One possible solution is for companies to tap into workforce potential that, although present, currently isn’t being sufficiently leveraged yet. In addition to women who aren’t in employment, this particularly includes silver agers, i.e. people aged 50 plus. They have already shown great flexibility and adaptability in their professional life: having usually started with a typewriter and fax machine, they will have progressed from floppy disks all the way to the cloud and collaboration tools.

Going forward, companies can no longer afford to force older members of staff into early retirement. After all, this particular generation of workers has tremendous experience and are loyal to their employers at the same time. Many of them also look for part-time work after retiring. So why let them go if you can keep them on?

Lack of appreciation for silver agers

Admittedly, older employees are generally more expensive. However, we also know that this group is often more productive than their younger counterparts. The fact that this isn’t directly acknowledged at some companies is usually due to the conditions and culture prevailing within the companies themselves. For example, silver agers often complain that they aren’t shown enough appreciation and the lack of communication demotivates them in their final years of employment.

After all, what company would invest in training and upskilling people once they reach the age of 55? The solution is staring companies in the face, though, regardless of their size: by implementing a structured age management strategy, they can keep silver agers productive and motivated or even attract them as new recruits. If there are recruitment and training programs for young people, why not for the older generation? When companies understand the individual needs of older employees and offer solutions that go beyond early retirement or simply reducing working hours, they can remove themselves from the increasingly hard-fought battle for young talent, at least to some extent.

Franz Herrlein is an author, systemic coach, and CEO & founder of Alpine One GmbH , a strategic human resources consulting firm based in Munich. Prior to establishing the Human Factor Company together with his wife Manuela Herrlein in 2016, he held multiple leadership and executive roles across his more than 25 years of international professional experience.

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