SMEs face hiring pressures​

 

Reports that London-based SMEs are increasingly relying on temporary workers, is placing added pressure on employers as they batter to create better hiring and retention strategies, warns Robert Half (https://www.roberthalf.co.uk) as recent data from business finance leader, Sonovate, reveals 56% of SMEs are reporting an increase in permanent staff requesting a move to temp or contract positions.

“The battle for top talent continues to ramp up and with more staff actively seeking contract and temporary positions, businesses are going to continue to face challenges in their recruitment,” says Matt Weston, Senior Managing Director UK & Ireland, Robert Half.

“We are increasingly finding ourselves operating in an economic climate that is – for want of a better word – unmapped for us all.  While every firm’s hiring strategy will be different, what I will say is this: those that fail to invest in skills now, will face a real struggle in the medium to long term when markets eventually settle into the new normal.”

According to Robert Half’s own Jobs Confidence Index (JCI) – produced in association with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) – employees and job seekers remain optimistic about both their job security and pay prospects which is likely influencing this move into flexible roles.  The firm’s data indicates that the job security confidence pillar of the Index is substantially up by 159.4 points when compared to the final quarter of the great recession in Q4 2009.