Recruitment trends could avert skills crisis

Expert training consultants are praising current recruitment trends and predicting that they will help avoid a potential skills crisis, despite revelations that eight out of ten (82%) employers are experiencing recruitment difficulties.

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) findings show that 70% of employers are actively seeking to recruit people aged 55 , while 74% of organisations are trying to recruit 16-24 year olds.

Arnie Skelton, Managing Director at Effective Training & Development, comments: Although employees are experiencing difficulties in finding staff, their positive attitude to employing lower and higher age groups suggests a commitment to sharing experience and investment in developing personnel.

This point is supported by CIPD findings that show; 66% of organisations are employing people who do not have the necessary skills, but demonstrate potential for growth, and 58% of employers have found that additional training of internal staff to fill posts has had a positive impact on the organisation

Skelton, who specialises in interview coaching, continues: Employers can reduce recruitment difficulties by taking a more holistic look at a candidate’s skills and how these could benefit the overall business rather than the available post. If this approach is balanced with the immediate introduction of training that addresses the skills shortfall, employers could find themselves with an enthusiastic and capable recruit as opposed a prolonged and costly employment vacancy.

Around 54%* of managers lack management skills, a key reason why more employers are looking to recruit older employees. Combining a variety of ages within the workplace with bespoke training programmes can help employers to increase employee skill-sets, staff morale and productivity. This will help employers to bridge the current skills-gap that 31%* of employers with five or more staff have identified and reduce recruitment problems, while benefiting the bottom line.

References:

CIPD statistics - the CIPD’s annual Recruitment, Retention and Turnover Survey.

* Statistics - The National Employers Skills Survey 2004 (most recent available date) conducted by the Learning & Skills Council, Department for Education and Skills, and Sector Skills Development Agency.