It is no secret that human resources are scarce and in demand. Search and selection is an integral part of my role as Project Manager during this ramp-up phase of Aspira’s Nearshore Outsourcing operation in Portugal. Our teams have had to grow fast in response to the demand and they currently work on projects in Ireland, The Netherlands, and the US. They are fully remote and work with wider teams across multiple time zones.
As a Microsoft Gold partner, with the majority of our Portugal staff working in Microsoft Technologies (.NET Framework / Core, MS Dynamics 365 CRM / Business Central / Nav ) I have to continually develop strategies to find and attract the niche skillsets we require. Recently, I have been researching where our future workforce is based.
We already knew nearshore outsourcing is on the rise and our specialist skill set is popular in Portugal. Results published from a recent survey from Landingjobs show that “18.6% of tech professionals in Portugal work remotely for a company across borders” additionally, “.NET remains the clear winner when it comes to frameworks (12.9%).
At time of publishing, 65% of our clients are seeking Microsoft specialists. Using this as a base and LinkedIn as a research tool – Portugal is ranked 29th globally with nearly 3m LinkedIn users – giving a decent representation of the Portuguese market.
Where are they?
The following results are Microsoft specialists registered outside of Lisbon and Porto, and their years of experience and tenure.
Fig 1: Microsoft Specialists based outside of Lisbon and Porto
Fig 2: Microsoft Specialists based outside of Lisbon and Porto by years of experience and tenure.
The results indicate:
- 58% of Microsoft Specialists have over 5 years’ experience.
- 55% have less than 2 years tenure in their current position.
A lot of senior people have changed jobs since 2020 – Covid coincidence? I think not.
Let’s take a glance at the areas our Microsoft specialists live outside of the bustling cities:
Braga Northeast of Porto (45 mins by car) a growing tourist day trip from Porto with its historic religious architecture.
Aveiro a commuter town for Porto (50 mins by car) nestled on the west coasts with a stunning network of canals.
Coimbra The capital of Portugal during medieval times, situated between Porto and Lisbon. The Nest Collective, a tech-hub founded in 2015, is attached to the university of Coimbra’s engineering faculty and is on the precipice of working with graduates to cross train them into software engineers. The expected result is a long-term stream of talent to keep up with the projected demand.
Setubal a traditionally commuter town to Lisbon (45 mins by car on a good day, 1.5hours by train), more affordable housing compared to Lisbon city centre, easy parking, and access to beaches.
Just falling short of making the top list were Leiria and Fundao in the Castelo Branco district, both of these locations we have Aspira Portugal staff working remotely.
Where do they want to work?
Taking it a step further, I looked at the future of work for these specialists i.e.: Onsite, Hybrid or Remote.
- 37% of users across Portugal are seeking remote work
- 35% want hybrid
- 29% on-site
This shows us that specialists based in Lisbon and Porto are also looking to swap their morning commute for the ease of a work from home role.
Neighbouring Spain gave almost identical results.
Results from Ireland:
- 36% of users outside of the main cities want hybrid work
- 35% fully remote.
Human capital is a company’s strongest asset, its engine room. Over a third of your workforce want to work from home!
I know first-hand from interviewing new talent that the primary reason tech people are leaving their jobs, is because their company is asking them to return to the office.
As a hiring manager, I know our engine room would cease to function with a 30% increase in staff turnover. Is now the time to be more open to a remote workforce to fulfil your current requirements?
To find out more about how our Portugal resources can complement your team, contact us today.
Sources: LinkedIn | Landing.jobs | Trade.gov | Wikipedia
Rachael Milne Dip Proj Mgmt, PRINCE2, CAPM - Project Manager Portugal
Rachael Milne has been part of the Aspira family since 2018 and has worked as Resourcing Manager in Cork and currently as a Project Manager for our Portugal operation.
