Some 4000 employees working in almost 180 countries around the world responded to the latest Hays Oil & Gas survey, and as expected employers are predicting at best modest growth in headcount during 2016.

According to Hays' seventh annual Oil & Gas Global Salary Guide, compiled late last year and released yesterday, around that 32% of respondents have been laid off or made redundant and 93% of employers said they had made some level of headcount reductions over the past 12 months.

Alarmingly, almost three quarters (72%) of those surveyed, and who have been laid off or made redundant in the past year are considering looking for a role outside of the industry.

If workers begin to leave the industry it could cause a "brain-drain" of talent within the sector, potentially creating future challenges, Hays warned.

That's why some companies, where they can, are cherry-picking the best and brightest in anticipation of the time when supply and demand fundamentals return to balance.

Almost one quarter surveyed (22%) feel that skills shortages will be the major concern and if the market begins to improve during 2016 the increase in hiring could place job seekers in a powerful position, driving up salaries as companies compete for sought after talent.

"The fall in oil prices is causing more challenges than initially meets the eye - it's not just about the fall in profitability and the reduction in the industry's workforce," Hays managing director John Faraguna said recently.

"Headcount losses and the resulting potential brain drain to the industry, coupled with the inevitable halt in hiring fresh talent, could lead to more acute future skills shortage."

For the majority of businesses affected by the downturn the focus has been keeping staffing costs low in order to remain profitable, however, employers must consider how employer reputation can effect an organisation's ability to attract and retain top professionals in the industry, he said.

Almost half (41%) of oil and gas professionals said a company's reputation is the number one factor when evaluating a job, both for an internal move or a role with a new employer.

Some two thirds (60%) of respondents who have been laid off or made redundant said they did not receive any assistance from their previous employer in helping them secure a new role.

Businesses that do assist recently laid off or redundant workers in seeking new employment, such as providing time off for interviews or being introduced to a recruiting firm, can improve their reputation, Faraguna said.

Hays is, of course, once such recruiting firm that could make a commission on placing workers with new employers.

"Supporting workers throughout the full work lifecycle, including exiting the business, will help preserve a good reputation, as well as help ensure that when market conditions improve, the employer brand is still attractive," Faraguna said.

"With hiring plans low on the agenda for the foreseeable future, there is a storm gathering within the industry.

"A pause in hiring today could create an even greater skills shortage than that caused by the downturn of the mid-to-late 1980s.

"Employers should be looking at their training offering and implementing succession plans to retain current staff and build a reputation as a top employer to help attract candidates in the future."

Among other findings were that 56% of employers said the main issue facing the industry is economic instability; 63% of employers feel confident about the oil and gas industry in 2016; and there are 15% fewer jobs available to expat workers as oilers seek to reduce staffing costs by hiring cheaper national workers.

Of those looking for a new job, 85% of respondents are seriously considering an international move and 40% are looking to move in the next six months

Professional development is the third most important factor for employees when evaluating their role, Hays said.

Employers are responding to this need, as 35% of employers invested in or upgraded training plans in the past 12 months and 43% are using training as a way to upskill their current workforce.

Hays also found that, in an effort to secure work or retain their current role, oil and gas workers are being flexible on salaries with 51% of employee respondents saying they would consider a cut in salary to retain their current job.