Research released by the British Chamber of Commerce have shown that 76% of businesses that tried to recruit in the second quarter of 2022 reported difficulty in finding staff. This is 2 percentage points down from the first quarter, but several sectors are reporting difficulties well above others. The four sectors reporting the highest difficulties are:
The construction sector is facing the most severe recruitment challenges, with 83% reporting difficulties. This is closely followed by production and manufacturing on 79%, logistics on 79% and hospitality on 78%.
Responding to the findings, Head of People Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, Jane Gratton, said:
“Businesses remain under huge pressure to fill jobs, but record levels of recruitment difficulty are showing no signs of improvement. Solutions are urgently needed, so that firms can keep their doors open throughout these tough times.
There are 1.3 million unfilled jobs in our economy, and now fewer people in the workforce than before the pandemic. This is holding back productivity and growth, and employers are at their wits’ end. It is putting livelihoods at risk and damaging the economy.”
The Chamber of Commerce is one of several data sources collated in our monthly Recruitment Insights report. The report gives you an insight into the factors affecting the market right now and offers key recommendations to increase your success when hiring.
The report is free to download – get the August report here.
