- 36% of employers plan to increase permanent hiring, while 31% invest in more entrepreneurs
- Availability of talent and personnel retention a concern for the majority of companies (70%)
- The fight against skills will spark an concern for almost two thirds (64%)
New research from the international recruitment company, Robert Halfrevealed that more than a third of British employers (36%) within professional services plan to increase permanent workforce over the next six months, signaling cautious optimism in an economic and geopolitical uncertainty. However, shortages of persistent skills and retention challenges could undermine recovery efforts.
According to the latest research on the company's hiring intentions, while these statistics show a certain stability of recruitment for workers in professional services despite the current climate, the underlying concerns concerning access to skills remain surface. Employers have cited hiring speed (71%), the availability of qualified candidates (70%) and retention (70%) as the main challenges with an impact on their labor strategies. The fight against skills gaps (64%) and the reproduction or the implementation of the workforce (54%) have also been reported as important concerns for the coming months.
Despite the increase in employers' taxes and the increase in costs associated with hiring, research indicates that many employers continue with essential recruitment plans that unlock growth, have raised competitive challenges and strengthen resilience. They recognize that bringing it good talent is crucial not only to fill the roles, but also to introduce the skills necessary to stimulate business change and ensure organizational success.
Stable permanent hiring, but still contracts in demand
The study also revealed a gap between permanent and contractual hiring intentions, which also reflect the prudence of the market. While 36% of employers plan to increase permanent workforce, 31% turn to additional contractual talents to maintain agility and tackle the shortages of abovementioned skills.
Matt Weston, principal director general of the United Kingdom and Ireland to Robert Half, commented::
“It's encouraging to see that mansers in the professional services sector are still planning to grow their teams despite the Economic Headwinds ahead of the Autumn Budget. However, Our Daes Suggest that the Current Cautious Optimism We Are Seeing from Hiring Managers Could Fears Around Talent Pipelines and Skills Readiness.
“The pressure to quickly find qualified candidates, associated with retention challenges, means that organizations must think beyond hiring in the short term and outside traditional talent basins. Investing in regions of reduction, reskulling and diversification of recruitment efforts, whether by reaching neglected regions to attract skilled distance workers, attract candidates to different elements or enlarged access to a sub-settlement of sub-reprimand groups to the labor market test.
“While we approach a central moment in the economic calendar, companies should use this time to reassess their recruitment strategies, strengthen internal capacities and ensure that they create resilient and inclusive teams that can thrive in an evolving landscape.”
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