BUSINESSNEWS
Skills Gap Is Hampering UK
Businesses’ Recruitment Efforts
The majority of UK businesses are planning a hiring spree over the next 12 months
as their growth prospects improve, but nearly two-thirds (64%) are concerned that
they won’t be able to find the people with the skills needed to fill these positions.
A global PwC survey of over 1,300 CEOs
in 68 countries reveals that a quarter of
UK business leaders plan to increase their
headcount by up to 5% in the next 12
months, with a further 20% planning
increases of up to 8% and a further one in
five planning increases of over 8%.
‘New skills do not always
equal new people’
But despite the positive outlook for
UK jobs, PwC’s research reveals that UK
business leaders are more concerned about
the availability of key skills than any of their
Western European counterparts, rating it as
the biggest business threat to their growth
plans. Technology and engineering firms
report the most chronic shortage of skilled
employees.
With the demand for certain skills, such as
technology and data analytics, in high demand
but short supply, UK businesses are widening
their reach to find the talent they need.
However, rising labour costs in high growth
markets and signs of skilled young workers in
China and India starting to favour domestic
employers is leading organisations to look to
Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines for
new talent.
Jon Andrews, HR consulting leader at PwC,
said:
“Despite rising business confidence equating
to more jobs, organisations are struggling to
find the right people to fill these positions.
Business leaders are looking for people with a
far wider range of skills than ever before. Gone
are the days of life-time careers; chameleonlike employees who apply their skills,
whenever and wherever they’re needed, are
now in high demand.
‘far wider range of skills’
“Businesses need to get out of the mindset
that new skills always equals new people. The
most successful organisations will combine
recruitment with internal mobility and the
development of their own people to be more
adaptable to its evolving strategy and business
environment.”
www.pwc.co.uk
IRONMONGERYDIRECT NAMED BEST
BRAND WITH OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER
SERVICE AT DIRECT COMMERCE AWARDS
IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s biggest online
and mail order supplier of ironmongery
products to the trade, is celebrating after
scooping two awards at the ECMOD Direct
Commerce Awards.
The prestigious awards for multi-channel
retailers and direct b2b marketers recognised
IronmongeryDirect in the ‘best brand’ and
‘outstanding customer service’ categories.
IronmongeryDirect was awarded the ‘best
brand’ accolade after the company highlighted
how it had grown its turnover by over 300%
in the past f