Talent shortages reported across all industries
Research by Right Management, global career experts have revealed that four in five employers admitted to hiring new recruits who would be better suited to a different role in the business than they were originally hired for, with 16% going as far as to admit that most employees would be better suited in an alternative role.
The trend appeared to be more prevalent in London with 82% admitting ‘at least some’ would be better suited elsewhere whilst a shocking 21% deemed ‘most’ new hires to be in unsuitable roles.
It’s come to light in the current market that the pandemic has afforded employees the time and space to reflect on their working lives, and to consider whether their current employer is aligned with their goals and values – something that many have never had the luxury of doing before. This new perspective led to many employees leaving their jobs, triggering the apparent ‘Great Resignation’. Naturally this exacerbated challenges for organisations that are already struggling to hire because of a reduced talent pool – a result of Brexit, an ageing workforce and inactive workers.
Large businesses with more roles to fill reported having more employees in unsuitable roles, (81% at least some, 17% most).
Talent shortages are reported across all industries, and this comes as COVID-19 restrictions are lifting and the UK enters recovery mode, with the number of roles advertised at an all-time high.
The research reported that employees leaving a role are more likely to take another within the organisation, if possible (26%), with 22% leave to join a competitor business.
Tim Gilbert, Right Management’s UK Managing Director, commented: “There are a number of factors which could cause people to be hired into the wrong role. Businesses are often under immense pressure to deliver, and this pressure can lead to a rushed hiring process, as leaders look to avoid burnout among current staff.
“The reduced pool of talent available could lead to a ‘softening’ of the recruitment process. The hiring process itself may not reflect the changes that the UK labour market has experienced; for example, businesses could look to prioritise soft skills and the right cultural fit rather than focusing solely on specific technical skills and experience.”
He continued: “Recruiting poorly can be very damaging for a business and draining on often-stretched resources, not to mention for the morale and confidence of the colleague in question. It is also very costly – the wrong hire can cost three times the first year’s salary.”
