The nationwide scarcity of talent that’s sweeping across sectors and causing chaos at petrol pumps and on supermarket shelves is evidence that resourcing and skills strategies need a new approach. That is according to a report from global leader in talent acquisition and managed workforce solutions, Guidant Global.

While the Government continues to seek changes to immigration rules to fill the ever-growing gap in resources, Guidant has argued that other key steps need to be taken to alleviate the pressure on talent pipelines, including:

– Rethinking approaches to IR35 and removing the fear of getting a worker’s off-payroll determination wrong
– Removing strict role requirements where feasible to broaden the range of potential new recruits
– Looking outside the usual sectors and geographies for potential hires
– Expanding the reliance on the non-permanent workforce
– Implementing meaningful changes to diversity tactics to engage more diverse workers
– Collaborating with partners and the entire talent supply chain to find innovate ways to engage new talent

Simon Blockley, CEO of Guidant Global, commented:

“Beyond the headlines, talent gaps are having a tangible impact on both our everyday lives and the wider economy: a scarcity of resources across the UK is impacting everything from the availability of mattresses to fuel at petrol stations.

“The reasons behind this evident lack of candidates are, unsurprisingly, complex. Insufficient talent pipelines, an exodus of EU workers post-Brexit, remote working options opening up job opportunities that were simply unavailable pre-Covid, and the fact that many professionals retrained or switched sectors to find work during the pandemic, have all helped to contribute to the current situation. However, many businesses are also struggling to source staff because they are fishing for talent in the same small pond as their competitors. But the basic fact is, there simply aren’t enough people to go around.

“While approaches such as expanding the remit of immigration visas to encourage more EU workers back to the UK will likely have a positive impact, there’s a lot more that can, and indeed should, be done to support the resourcing challenges that almost every sector is experiencing. The ongoing fear of getting an individual’s off-payroll classification wrong, for example, is still preventing some employers from engaging legitimate contractors. This talent scarcity isn’t going to go away anytime soon and it’s important that employers take every possible step to broaden their skills attraction strategies if they are to navigate the next few months.”

For more information on the talent scarcity in the UK and its impact on multiple sectors, download Guidant’s report here.