Skills shortage a big challenge for incoming government

david cameron
david cameron

Within the next 24 hours, the UK will begin voting on a new government. One of the biggest challenges facing the new administration is the impending skills shortage fuelled by the country reaching record levels of employment.

A major headache for fast growing companies in Lancashire, who are some of the country’s top wealth creators, is access to a pool of skilled talent. These companies are responsible for some of the highest levels of job creation in the British economy, but to maintain the heightened momentum of growth, they need to be able to source and recruit the right talent.

It is more important than ever for companies to make a powerful first impression to potential new employees. The journey from reception to meeting room allows for any prospective employee to recognise and form opinions of the company within seconds by looking to the layout and design of the workspace.

Paul Statham, CEO of one of the UK’s fastest growing businesses Condeco Software says: “More and more global market leaders are investing in their work places to attract the very best talent, and help them stay ahead of their competitors and continue to grow. The more sophisticated businesses are also taking advantage of state of the art technology which enhances productivity and ultimately has a positive impact on employee retention”.

“Employees in the UK work the longest hours in Europe and spend an average of 40-42 hours per week in the office. A company’s office space has a direct impact on the morale and productivity of its employees, but can also create an empowering work culture and help attract potential recruits.”

Companies are increasingly looking to invest in their workplaces with technology to help keep up with the developments of their competitors. Prospective recruits are looking further than salary and job perks to the very design of the office, as they will be spending most of their time there.

Paul Statham concludes: “The talent which has emerged in the last couple of years are more tech savvy than their predecessors and value a more agile workplace. Technology is revolutionising the workplace and the new generation recognise the ability of embedded technologies to aid in increasing efficiency, while also creating break out areas and collaborative spaces which have a positive impact on productivity. Companies should be looking to match the needs and desires of this current generation of workers, in order to stand out from their competitors.”