A recent survey conducted by Indeed Flex - the online marketplace for flexible and temporary work - has shed light on the persistent issue of staff shortages faced by businesses across the UK. The findings reveal a concerning trend that is putting significant strain on employers, managers and HR personnel.
According to the survey, a staggering third of UK businesses - 34 percent to be precis - report being short-staffed at least once a week. This figure is compounded by an additional fifth of businesses experiencing understaffing on a monthly basis, highlighting the pervasive nature of the problem.
The primary culprit behind these shortages, as indicated by 49 percent of businesses surveyed, is sick leave. With nearly half of the respondents citing employee absences due to illness as the leading cause of staffing gaps, it's evident that health-related issues are playing a significant role in exacerbating the situation.
However, sick leave isn't the sole contributor to the staffing woes. The survey also points to recruitment challenges, with 34 percent of businesses struggling to find enough people to fill the gaps. Moreover, 31 percent of respondents highlight issues with staff unwillingness to work certain days or hours, while 28 percent attribute the problem to a reluctance among employees to work overtime.
The report further underscores a growing reliance on temporary staff to address these staffing challenges. Nearly two in five businesses (38 percent) admit to using more temporary workers than they did a year ago, with the flexibility and immediacy of temporary hires being cited as key factors driving this shift.
This trend aligns with recent findings from a survey conducted by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG, which revealed a noticeable preference among employers for hiring temporary staff over permanent employees.
Experts suggest that burnout and mental health concerns among employees are exacerbating the problem of employee sickness. Research conducted by Mental Health UK in January 2024 supports these claims, revealing that 20 percent of workers had taken time off due to stress in the past year. As such, addressing mental health and well-being in the workplace is becoming increasingly imperative for mitigating the impact of staff shortages.
Despite efforts to alleviate the situation, recruiting remains a challenge for many businesses. A quarter of respondents (24 percent) admit to struggling to fill vacancies, while only 13 percent report finding recruitment easy.
The tight labour market adds another layer of complexity to the issue, with official data showing over 900,000 vacancies across the UK and a significant portion of adults classified as economically inactive.
Novo Constare, CEO and Co-founder of Indeed Flex, said:
"Employers are fighting hard to fill vacancies, but in such a tight labour market many are forced to leave gaps in their rotas on a regular basis.
“This is a big problem for the UK economy, as it reduces productivity and can lead to workers doing more overtime and ending up feeling burnt out.
“To get around this problem, two in five businesses are using more temporary workers than they were a year ago. Temps are a crucial part of the labour market, as they provide employers with an immediate and flexible solution to gaps in staffing.”
The findings of the Indeed Flex survey paint a stark picture of the staffing challenges faced by businesses in the UK. With a third of companies grappling with staff shortages on a weekly basis and recruitment difficulties compounded by health-related and well-being issues, it appears that a concerted effort is needed to address these issues.
