As labor pools shrink and skills gaps widen, employers may increasingly struggle to find right-fit talent. Yet, new research highlights two areas HR may be overlooking that could give them an edge as organizations compete for talent amid labor shortages.

In a recent webinar titled Unpacking the Data Behind Unfilled Jobs and the Future of America’s Workforce, hosted by SHRM, researchers explored the firm’s new report on U.S. labor shortages. The study found that, even if labor market conditions appear favorable, a “key barrier” known as “occupational mismatch” could be driving up shortages in particular sectors—and fueling surplus in others.

James Atkinson, vice president of Thought Leadership at SHRM, explained that occupational mismatch describes the concept that job openings are going unfilled and unemployed people may not be able to find work because the skills demanded by employers poorly aligns with the experience of unemployed people.

According to the organization, as of this summer, nearly one-third of job openings in the U.S. couldn’t be filled by unemployed people who had recently worked in that same occupational group. At the same time, more than one-quarter of unemployed people couldn’t match to an opening in the same occupational group they most recently worked in.

Atkinson called the occupational mismatch data a “wake-up call” for employers and policy-makers.

“If we want to build resilient teams and thriving organizations,” he said, “we need to invest in skills-first strategies and rethink how we connect talent to opportunity.”

This reality, he added, requires a “sector-specific” talent acquisition strategy, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

An untapped talent pool

Another strategy to navigate labor shortages involves attention to a significantly untapped talent pool that employers are largely ignoring: older workers.

SHRM’s recent Age of Opportunity: Redefining Talent with the 65+ Workforce report found that 93% of HR professionals surveyed reported their organizations have no formal or informal recruitment programs targeting older workers.

This is despite the fact that older workers are “driving results,” said SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.

Among HR professionals who work with older employees, 74% report positive experiences, with 88% saying older workers perform better than or much better than other employees.

SHRM found that:

• 81% of older workers demonstrate a strong willingness to learn
• 79% show positive approaches to challenges
• 60% display enthusiasm for growth, including embracing new technologies.

“Their experience, adaptability and eagerness to learn,” Taylor said, “especially with new technologies such as AI, are exactly what today’s organizations need.”