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- Office professionals: skills opportunities and challenges (2023 update)
Office professionals: skills opportunities and challenges (2023 update)
Summary
Office professionals are employed in a variety of EU economic sectors and account for around 4 per cent of all employment in the EU in 2022. They provide various forms of services in financial matters, human resource development, public relations, marketing, and sales. Jobs within this group include accountants, corporate banking and risk managers, financial planners and analysts, logistics analysts, parliamentary assistants, social service consultants, public relations professionals, and brand managers.
Key facts
- Around 8.8 million people were employed as office professionals in 2022, which accounted for 4 per cent of total EU employment in that year.
- Between 2012 and 2022 office professionals’ employment increased markedly (by 70 per cent).
- Between 2019 and 2020, and despite the economic lockdowns experienced across the EU, an additional 300 thousand office professional jobs were created. The growth has continued and by the end of 2022, it was 1.3 million workers above the pre-Covid 19 level.
- Office professionals are distributed in a variety of economic sectors requiring office work, such as the professional, scientific, and technical activities sector and the public administration and defence sector.
- The vast majority of office professionals (81 per cent) have attained a qualification level of ISCED 5 or above in 2021, equivalent to upper secondary education/ post-secondary non-tertiary education.
- Office professionals are almost equally distributed between males and females.
- The employment of office professionals is projected to increase by 23 per cent between 2022 and 2035.
- Technological advancements such as FinTech, e-invoicing, and digital marketing tools will drive changes in the skills required of office professionals in the future. AI is also increasingly influencing office jobs, most notably the large language models, utilised in tools like ChatGPT. Other factors affecting the future skillsets of job profiles within this occupation are the increasing complexity in transactions, the emergence of carbon accounting, and the need to cope with and organise flexible forms of work within enterprises.
Employment and job demand
Employment growth of office professionals was very strong in the past decade, and continued during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic as well.
Figure 1: Year-to-year employment change for office professionals (2013-2022)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Employed persons by detailed occupation (ISCO-08 two-digit level) [LFSA_EGAI2D__custom_7778289]. Own calculations.
More than one third of office professionals (38 per cent) are engaged as administration professionals and about 30 percent are engaged as finance professionals. Another 30 per cent of office professionals are engaged as sales, marketing, and public relations professionals. Over time, the share of employment accounted for by these occupations remained stable.
Figure 2: Employment in office professionals’ jobs (in %)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
Office professional vacancies are usually well covered by the OJA data. Distribution of OJAs for office professionals is quit even among all detailed occupations, with sales, marketing and public relations professionals having more OJAs.
For more details on skills demand and job openings for this occupation, please access the Cedefop’s Skills OVATE tool.
Figure 3: Online job advertisements for office professionals (2022, in %)
Source: Skills in Online Job Advertisements indicator based on Cedefop’s Skills OVATE. Own calculations.Note: Online job advertisements are by definition not equivalent to job vacancies. See Beręsewicz (2021) or Napierala et al. (2022).
Office professionals are distributed across a variety of sectors relatively evenly (given the sectors’ total employment). The top five sectors employ just over half of office professionals, which is a markedly lower concentration than in most other sectors. The largest share is occupied within the professional, scientific, and technical activities sector. A notable share of office professionals (more than 11 per cent) is also occupied in the public administration and defence, manufacturing, financial and insurance activities, and the wholesale and retail trade sectors.
Figure 4: The top sectors employing office professionals (in %)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
Northern and western European countries tend to have higher shares of office professionals’ jobs, which is related mainly to the sectoral employment differences – countries with a higher share of employment in manufacturing, hospitality or agriculture tend to employ less office professionals.
Figure 5: Office professionals as a share of country employment (2021, in %)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
Note: Data for CY, EE, IS, LV and LU have lower reliability because of the small sample size.
LFS data for MT are not available.
The men and women are almost equally represented among office professionals. This occupation is rather “young”, with a lower share of workers aged 50 years or more.
Figure 6: Office professionals by age (in %)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
The services offered by office professionals such as accountants and financial analysts are usually needed on a permanent basis within enterprises. This is to some extent reflected in the share of office professionals reporting part-time or temporary employment.
Figure 7: Contract and hiring trends for office professionals (in %)
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
Skill needs and future trends
The nature of the work of office professionals is reflected in their self-reporting on most frequent tasks and skill needs. Providing advice or counselling and dealing with people outside of their organization are the leading ones, with above-average importance of advanced math, writing and reading.
Digital skills and tasks are also reported well above the occupation average, including the use of specialised software, database work or even programming.
Given the wide range and often high level of skills needed, it is no surprise that office professionals report high upskilling needs, including digital ones. On the other hand, they are one of the occupations where the training needs are assessed frequently and training provision is above average.
Figure 8: Skills, training needs and job perception of office professionals (in %)
Source: European Skills and Jobs Survey. Microdata. Own calculations.
Unless stated otherwise, it is a share of people reporting that a task/skill is part of their job.
*Always or often
** Share of workers reporting these needs to a great or moderate extent.
Overall, employment for office professionals is expected to increase markedly (by about 23 per cent) over the period 2022 to 2035. Future employment change will however vary by country. Employment in the majority of countries (20) grew at rates larger than 10 per cent in the past decade and it is forecast to do so in the next decade as well, while the rest are either stable or represent the opposite trend.
Figure 9: Past and expected future employment trends of office professionals
Source: European Labour Force Survey. Microdata. Cedefop Skills Forecast.
Note: Data for CY, EE, IS, LV and LU have lower reliability because of the small sample size.
LFS data for MT are not available.
Most job openings are a result of people leaving them for other opportunities, or those leaving the labour market completely (retirements; parent leave and such). This replacement demand is frequently much more substantial, and in the case of the office professionals, it is estimated at 4.6 million workers, thus being more than double compared to new job creation. However, the share of new jobs to replacement needs – approximately 1:2.2 – is one of the lowest across occupations, as it usually stands at 1:5 or even less. It emphasizes both the high expected new jobs growth and the relative “youth” of the occupation, requiring less future replacement needs.
Figure 10: Future job openings for office professionals (000s)
Source: Future job openings indicator based on the Cedefop Skills Forecast. Own calculations.
Looking forward
- Many office professionals work in business or non-marketed services, which are instrumental in advancing the goals of the twin transitions. Critical thinking and transversal competences will continue to characterise the jobs of office professionals, coupled with sound knowledge of regulatory frameworks and the technical know-how of innovative tools.
- The digital transition plays a crucial part in achieving sustainable development goals in Europe. Generally, routine and repetitive tasks are more susceptible to automation and digitalisation, whereas more complex intellectual tasks as well as social and communication skills will remain in the purview of office professionals (Sampson, 2021). For example, accountants are likely to move on to more complex problem-solving tasks, while technologies like cloud-based data, management, process automation and advanced analytics will improve the quality of their work in new ways (Higgins, 2021). The rise of cloud computing technologies in accounting not only calls for training in technologies such as e-invoicing (see for example the training programmes hosted by the Commission about e-invoicing according to European standards) but also raises cybersecurity issues and requires knowledge to adequately ensure data security.
- Financial analysts will continue to see the improvement in services and the emergence of new employment opportunities in their sector related to the development of Financial Technology (FinTech). In each of the seven largest European economies, there is at least one FinTech among top five banking services institutions (McKinsey, 2022).
- Digitalisation will change the jobs of advertising and marketing professionals in various ways. The use of AI and big data analysis changes the way some digital marketing tasks are done, like analysing target audiences, content creation, translation, image creation, and video editing (Pittaluga, 2023), and enable more targeted and personalised marketing strategies (Digital Marketing Institute, 2018).
- For career guidance professionals, digitalisation was key in ensuring the provision and accessibility of their services during the global pandemic. Digital communication and information management tools will continue to be integrated into the daily work of career guidance professionals (Cedefop, 2021).
- The European Green Deal (EGD) impacts all sectors of the EU’s economy, and therefore will be relevant for the future skillsets of various office professional jobs. EGD initiatives such as those related to industry (European Commission, 2020a) sustainable and smart mobility, and the energy transition have affected the work of various sub-occupations in this group. Policy administration professionals must adjust policy and business strategies to sustainability challenges, develop such sustainable transition or carbon neutrality strategies (see for example, Cedefop’s pledges towards carbon neutrality) and supervise their implementation. On the other hand, sustainable finance seeks to foster sustainable growth by integrating social, environmental and governance criteria into business and investment decisions (PWC Belgium, 2023). Office professionals will also have to be aware of related regulation, like the EU taxonomy for sustainable investment, which has created a framework of reference for environmentally sustainable investments. This will be relevant for office professionals working with finance, both in advisory and accounting capacities.
- An additional need for skills update is the rise in financial carbon accounting within businesses. This is a methodology that allows businesses to measure, track and report past and future greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted through their business operations and assign to them a financial market value (Ascui and Lovel, 2012). It allows businesses to track emission reduction potential but can also reveal possible competitive advantages, for example in building brand equity, and is currently emerging as a distinct discipline in the accounting profession (He et al., 2022).
- Increasing complexity in financial transactions stems from increasing internationalisation of business and the large amount of data that must be processed to prepare financial statements. This requires both detailed technical knowledge of legal basis related to international commerce (e.g., International Accounting Standards) and adequate management skills to accommodate complex workload.
- The Covid-19 pandemic steered office work towards a particular mode of flexibilisation during lockdowns. Trends of flexibilisation of work like remote working, mobile work and telework were significantly accelerated by the global pandemic. This has implications for jobs in this occupation like personnel and career professionals. Remote working requires adequate use of digital tools, as well as knowledge of data protection principles and security liabilities related to the use of digital tools in remote locations. Also, telework can be done at a variety of locations on more flexible schedules, which requires time management and coordination skills (Eurofound, 2022).
- Personnel and career professionals will also need to cope with recruitment a new generation of workers with different demands and expectations. Generation Z generally prefers self-directed and independent learning, leveraging technology. Also, the work-life balance, flexibility, and open communication are important for them (Chillakuri, 2020). Human Resources professionals will have to take this into account in the transformation of hiring practices.
- Sales professionals will continue to need to adapt to increased digitalisation of sales in the post-pandemic business context. For example, in B2B sales the shift to digital and remote engagement is tangible and widely accepted in the sector. This transformation has come about partly due to exceptional circumstances of the pandemic that accelerated digitalisation of services in the sales sector. Another reason for this is the changing customer behaviours that tend towards fully digital modus operandi (Bages-Amat et al, 2020).
Digital literacy and critical thinking coupled with sectoral expertise will be needed for future office professionals to stay afloat in ever-changing work environments. Most office professionals complete between three to six years of higher education, specialising in a field. In addition to initial education, office professionals will also need to pursue continuous education throughout their careers to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to adapt to challenges like technological change and sustainable development.
Some good examples of initial education are presented in below – from the Netherlands and Greece (see the box below). The MSc Human Resource Management at the Management School of Erasmus University Rotterdam, which seeks to develop skills to for an
HR culture that promotes more effective, creative and community-oriented employees. Innovative HRM strategies are at the centre of this study programme in the aim of understanding the psychological, social and economic factors that influence people. The Master’s degree in Fintech and Risk Management at the Hellenic Open University provides insights into the latest financial technology developments to be applied by future finance analysts.
Master’s degree in Banking, Financial Technology (Fintech) and Risk Management The new up-to-date programme with revised curriculum caters to the needs of recent graduates looking for an optimal combination of theory as well as a practical hands-on approach to the highly specified financial and risk management issues of a business or a financial institution. It also widens knowledge on the evolving landscape of the Fintech industry, and the emergence of new financial instruments available. More importantly and considering the recent adversities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program places great emphasis in risk management tools and methods, an essential skill which is greatly desired and appreciated by the business world. Source: Hellenic Open University (Greece) |
In addition to higher education qualifications, office professionals will expand their knowledge and skills within the lifelong learning framework. For example, micro-credentials are certified short-term learning experiences, which focus on a specific topic or skill. Micro-credentials offer a flexible approach to learning, as they are often offered online and can be balanced with work and personal life. These can be offered by various institutions and organisations. For instance, the DLT4All project provides upskilling opportunities on blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLT) to students, entrepreneurs, investors and incubators. Their curriculum includes amongst others modules on peer-to-peer database design, digital signatures and blockchain-based decentralised applications. Meanwhile, the Circular HRM project aims to develop a Circular HRM model that would support the HR transformation of European SMEs from the eco-industry sector to adopt it to contemporary challenges of unemployment, skills mismatch, stress and depression, ageing populations etc. Cited in the box below is an example from the Florence School of Regulation, which introduces sustainable finance in the context of the European Green Deal.
“The EU Green Deal” “The FSR Training on the EU Green Deal is an eleven-week online course on the fundamentals of energy and climate policy as reformulated in the context of the EU Green Deal. In this training, we mostly focus on the Green Deal measures related to climate and energy policy, but we also provide an introduction to sustainable finance and circular economy. We aim to make it easier for a wider audience of stakeholders, professionals, and academics to enter into the ongoing processes launched by the EU Green Deal and the more recent Fit for 55 Package, and develop an understanding of the wide impact of the Green Deal on EU climate and energy policy.” Source: Florence School of Regulation |
How to cite this publication:
Cedefop (2023). Office professionals: skills opportunities and challenges. Skills intelligence data insight.
Further reading
Ascui, F., & Lovell, H. (2012). Carbon accounting and the construction of competence. Journal of Cleaner Production, 36, 48-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.12.015.
Bages-Amat, A., Harrison, L., Spillecke, D., & Stanley, J. (2020). These eight charts show how COVID-19 has changed B2B sales forever. McKinsey & Company: Growth, Marketing and Sales, 14 October 2020.
Beręsewicz, M. and Pater, R. (2021). Inferring job vacancies from online job advertisements, Luxembourg: Publications Office, 2021. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-statistical-working-papers/-/ks-tc-20-008
Boland, B., De Smet, A., Palter, R., & Sanghvi, A. (2020). ‘Reimagining the office and work life after COVID-19’. McKinsey, published 8 June 2020
Cedefop (2021). ‘Digital transitions in lifelong guidance: rethinking careers practitioner professionalism: A CareersNet expert collection.’ Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Cedefop working paper; No 2.
Cedefop (2023). Skills in transition: the way to 2035. Luxembourg: Publications Office. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/438491
Chillakuri, B. (2020). ‘Understanding Generation Z for effective onboarding’. Journal of Organisational Change Management. Vol. 33(7), pp. 1277-1296
Digital Marketing Institute (2018). ‘The Impact of Automation on Digital Marketing Jobs’. DMI, blog post, published 18 October 2018
Eurofound (2022). ‘The rise in telework: Impact on working conditions and regulations’. Publications Office of the European Union: Luxembourg
European Commission (2020). Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy. COM(2020) 789 final
European Commission (2020a). A New Industrial Strategy for Europe. COM(2020) 102 final
EY (2020). ‘Eight ways FinTech adoption remains on the rise’. EY Global, published 31 August 2020
He, R, Luo, L., Shamsuddin, A, & Tang, Q. (2022). Corporate carbon accounting: a literature review of carbon accounting research from the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement. Accounting and Finance, 62, 261-298. https://doi.org/10.1111/acfi.12789.
Higgins, M. (2021). ‘The Future of Accounting: How Will Digital Transformation Impact Accountants?’. Forbes, published 19 May 2021
McKinsey (2022). ‘Europe’s fintech opportunity’. McKinsey & Company, report, published 26 October 2022
Napierala, J.; Kvetan, V. and Branka, J. (2022). Assessing the representativeness of online job advertisements. Luxembourg: Publications Office. Cedefop working paper, No 17. http://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2801/807500
PWC (2023). Challenges: Sustainability: Sustainable Finance.
Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, Official Journal of the EU, published 22 June 2020
Sampson, S.E. (2021). ‘A Strategic Framework for Task Automation in Professional Services'. In Journal of Service Research, Vol. 24(1), pp. 122-140
Data insights details
Table of contents
Page 1
SummaryPage 2
Employment and job demandPage 3
Skill needs and future trendsPage 4
Looking forwardPage 5
Further reading