The ManpowerGroup Annual Talent Shortage Survey is based on research from 37,000 employers. It suggests that the proportion of businesses who cannot find the skills they need is at its highest since 2007.
More than half (54%) of employers say this has a "medium or high impact" on their ability to meet client needs.
However, in good news for the UK, the skills gap in Britian has decreased slightly over the past year, with 12% of employers reporting a lack of available skills. This is down 1% from 12 months previously.
The worst affected area is Japan, where 81% of businesses report not being able to fill high-skilled roles. However, this is still a decrease of 4% from last year.
Manpower UK managing director Mark Cahill called on HR departments across the globe to take on new responsibilities to tackle the skills shortage.
"Successful HR leaders are increasingly efficient in recruiting talent exactly where it is needed, marketing their organisation’s strengths to attract the best candidates and shaping the work model to suit their goals and employees," he said.
Robert Walters director of legal, HR and support Colin Loth told HR magazine HR leaders will need to recruit teams capable of delivering these goals if they are to support their companies effectively.
"There is a lack of mid-level managers who have three to four years experience at the moment," he said. "But it's not just a case of going back to 2007 and recruiting exactly the same teams as people had then. With the advancement in areas such as workplace technology and flexible working, a new range of skills is required across HR."
