Three-quarters of employers cite increase in unsuitable candidates: Survey
Employers in the United Kingdom are
being inundated with unsuitable candidates and struggling to fill vacancies
while talented individuals are staying put, according to the annual Resourcing and Talent Planning report by
the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), in partnership
with Hays.
Three-quarters (73 per cent) of organizations highlighted an increase in the
number of unsuitable candidates for job vacancies, fuelled by high levels of
unemployment. However, 52 per cent of the 626 employers surveyed believe competition
for talent is even greater, compared to 41 per cent and 20 per cent in 2010 and
2009 respectively.
This year, 75 per cent of organizations experienced recruitment difficulties.
As in previous years, the main reason is a lack of necessary specialist or
technical skills (72 per cent compared to 67 per cent in 2010), with managers or
professionals and technical positions the most difficult to fill.
"High levels of unemployment
have boosted quantity but employers are still struggling with quality.
Headlines focus on high levels of unemployment but those stark statistics mask
an ongoing struggle for employers to find the skills and experience they need
to drive their businesses forward. Shortages of specialist and technical skills
run the risk of slamming an unwelcome brake on the long-term competitiveness of
the U.K. economy,” said Claire McCartney, resourcing and talent planning adviser
at CIPD.
One contributing factor to the talent shortage is those who are in work are
reluctant to leave in a volatile market, said CIPD. The median turnover rate
has remained consistently low throughout the recession and beyond (2011: 12.5
per cent; 2010: 13.5 per cent; 2009: 15.7 per cent; 2008:17.3 per cent).
The rate of voluntary leavers has
increased slightly in the private sector (8.7 per cent in 2011 compared to 7.4
per cent in 2010) but decreased in the voluntary (seven per cent per cent in
2011 compared to 10.2 per cent in 2010) and public sector services (3.4 per
cent in 2011 compared to 5.8 per cent in 2010).
"Skills shortages are undoubtedly being exacerbated by 'grass is greener
on this side of the fence' syndrome. Free movement of talented individuals is
being impeded by a reluctance to voluntarily change jobs in volatile economic
times — and the problem is worse now than it was at the height of the
recession,” said McCartney. “With more cuts in the public sector expected and
only marginal private sector growth, we expect a continued 'safety first'
approach from employees, with many wanting to stay put for the next couple of
years at least, making it difficult for employers to really drive competitive
edge through the recruitment of talented individuals."
Four in 10 (39 per cent) employers also cite increased tuition fees as a
concern. Respondents are worried this will affect the number of graduates
coming into the labour market, affecting their access to yet another talent
pool.
"The rate of youth unemployment continues to soar but employers are still
complaining about the lack of talent on the market. It's crucial for organizations
to communicate not only what skills they need now and in the future but also
really sell themselves as an employer of choice in order to secure their talent
pipeline in years to come,” said Julie Waddicor, managing director of Hays
Human Resources. “Equally, with university fees increasing, there is a real
need for more to be done to encourage businesses to take on apprentices and
introduce other initiatives to help young people gain experience in the
workplace. Only then will U.K. organizations really succeed in closing the
skills gap."
