According to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) 7/10 small employers are witnessing a shortage of all types of candidates for their roles. A total of 57.1% of medium-size employers (50-249 staff) and 66.7% of large employers (with 250+ staff) reported shortages of candidates, which suggests that they are also challenged – but finding better routes to cope.
The article highlights a pressing issue that small employers, those with less than 50 staff, face the most significant challenges with candidate shortages in the UK. Despite economic slowdowns, the demand for workers remains unmet across various sectors, affecting businesses of all sizes but particularly hitting small employers hard.
Neil Carberry, REC Chief Executive, said:
“Companies reporting persistent hiring difficulties comes as no surprise to us at the REC. Too few firms have appreciated that – despite slow growth – our jobs market has changed fundamentally. Only 9.5% of firms told us they were looking to temps, freelancers and contractors to help. Yet support from agencies on both temporary labour and innovative routes to hiring permanent roles are vital to getting the people a business needs now.
“A good recruitment partner is no luxury – and small firms in particular can benefit from the specialist skills they bring. As well as helping with reaching new pools of candidates, and innovative flexible options, agencies can deliver great support and advice to their clients.”
Jemma, RJS Recruitment’s Director, said:
“The heart of our business is supporting SME’s who don’t always have that dedicated HR / Recruitment team in house, allowing our valued clients to maximise their time with what they specialise in, whether that be healthcare, engineering or financial service. For example, leaving recruitment and all tasks associated to RJS who can react like an internal department gaining a depth understanding of the business as our relationship develops but still flexible enough to support as and when the need arises.”
RJS Resourcing, with its expertise in recruitment and vast network of candidates, offers a solution to this dilemma. By partnering with businesses, RJS Resourcing can help navigate these shortages through innovative recruitment strategies, access to a wider pool of candidates, and flexible staffing solutions. Our approach not only addresses immediate hiring needs but also supports long-term workforce planning and development, ensuring that businesses can thrive even in challenging labour market conditions.
rec.uk.com/our-view/news/press-releases/worker-shortages-hit-small-employers-most-rec