Asia-Pacific Region Contends With Growth and Worker Shortages

Asia’s Worker Deficit: In case there was any doubt, Evansville, Indiana-based moving company Atlas World Group has provided data that shows the Asia-Pacific region is a booming market for multinational firms. At the same time, it is experiencing many of the same workforce shortages that are found in the U.S. About 33 percent of such companies transferred more expatriate and other workers overseas last year than in 2005, with nearly 30 percent bound for countries in or near the Pacific Rim. According to Atlas’ annual corporate relocation survey, “the number of companies listing the booming Asia-Pacific region as their most frequent international destination has risen nearly 15 percent” during the past decade. No matter where they go, however, companies face a universal problem: finding qualified workers. About 52 percent expect this to be a major headache in 2007, compared with only 16 percent in 1987.