Switzerland is the best country in the world for attracting, developing and retaining skilled workers, with the country earning this title for the tenth year in a row. This further confirms that Europe is the ultimate destination for people who are looking for professional development opportunities.
According to the Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023, Denmark follows second compared to other European countries, while at the international level, it is ranked fourth.
The list of the top six European countries that have been ranked highest for attracting talent is further concluded with the Netherlands, Finland, Norway and Sweden, showing that seven out of the ten best countries in the world for skilled workers are in Europe, including the United Kingdom.
European Countries Ranked Best Even Among Top 25 Global Destinations for Skilled Workers
The European countries maintained their lead as the most talent-competitive countries even compared to the best 25 destinations in the world for skilled workers, with 17 of them making the cut.
More specifically, Ireland, Germany, Iceland, Belgium, Austria, France, Estonia, Poland, and Czechia have been recognised as the best countries in Europe to retain talent.
The Index further points out that talent inequalities have been high throughout the last decade among countries, with richer countries leading the global talent stage.
The same goes on to show that the list of top talent competitive countries remains substantially the same compared to a decade ago.
According to Felipe Monteiro, Senior Affiliate Professor of Strategy, eight out of the ten top countries in 2023 were in the inaugural top ten in 2013. He also pointed out that emerging markets have had an impact.
If we take the combined GDP of the E7, meaning the seven top emerging economies, they are comparable to the G7. If we take in the PPP terms, they could be even higher.
The same noted that China and Russia have become talent champions – a term used by the Global Talent Competitiveness Index to describe countries that are consistently strong in all dimensions of talent competitiveness. These include attracting, growing, retaining talent and improving vocational and technical skills.
Quality of Life & Sustainability to Become Key Talent Attraction Factors
The Index reveals that in the next ten years, important talent attraction factors will be related to the quality of life and sustainability level.
We imagine the next decade will see more visible changes in the rankings—with countries in Asia advancing in competitiveness, mirroring growth across the industry. This increase in the ability to attract, retain, and grow human capital should be seen as a win for all.
On the other hand, technology and the climate crisis are expected to be key drivers of new job creation over the next five years.
