Source: KPMG & REC, UK report on jobs:
Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, said:
In August, the number of staff available to start jobs fell at another new record rate, deepening the current labour shortage. Recruiters are working around the clock, placing more people into work than ever as these figures show. Switching the entire economy on over the Summer has created a unique demand spike, and a short term crisis.
"But it would be a mistake for a businesses to think of this as only a short term issue. A number of factors mean that the UK labour market will remain tight for a number of years to come. Business leaders should be looking now at how they will build their future workforces, in partnership with recruiters, including the skills and career path development. But attracting and retaining staff also requires a serious assessment of why workers want to work with the firm - from management approaches to facilities, as well as pay. Government can help too, by aligning skills offers with business needs and making sure the new immigration system works. But government also must prioritise alleviating the immediate crisis - we'd like to see a joint forum where government departments and business can collaborate to tackle worker and skills shortages."