A study has found that recruiters are finding it increasingly difficult to hire new staff as a result of the tough competition they’re facing for highly skilled employees.
Of the 400 recruitment agencies which were surveyed by IHS Markit for the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), 40% said that the availability of temporary staff got worse in July 2017 compared to the previous month (35%).
In addition, 43% said that they’re facing the same issues for permanent staff (up from 41% in June).
This has generally resulted in permanent staff commanding better starting salaries, with earnings growth reaching a 20-month high.
Demand for staff in private sector businesses outpaced demand in the public sector over the same period, while the biggest increases in year-on-year demand for workers was felt in:
- Engineering (66% – up from 57% in July 2016)
- Accounting (65% – up from 56%)
- IT (65% – up from 57%)
Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC, said:
“It’s clear that employers are having to work even harder to fill jobs as vacancies rise and candidate availability shrinks.”
He continued:
“Employers are not just struggling to hire the brightest and the best, but also people to fill roles such as chefs, drivers and warehouse workers.”
Incentives
With employers facing stiff competition for staff, it’s proving more challenging for businesses to attract and retain the best talent.
If you’re looking for some great ways to attract new workers or retain your existing skilled staff, there are a number of benefits you can offer including:
- Flexible working arrangements
- Investing in career development
- Providing additional benefits such as attractive pension contributions, company cars and entertainment incentives
- Offer performance-related pay rises
If you’re looking for accountants in Berkshire and would like to get in touch to discuss your business issues, please feel free to contact PKB Accountants and we will be more than happy to help.
To read news and blogs from Rebecca Austin, click here >>
