Workers’ reluctance to leave their existing job to take up new opportunities elsewhere is exacerbating the UK’s talent shortage.

This is according to the annual Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Resourcing and Talent Planning survey, produced in partnership with Hays.

This year, three-quarters (75%) of organisations experienced recruitment difficulties. As in previous years, the main reason for these difficulties was a lack of necessary specialist or technical skills (72%) compared to 67% in 2010), with managers/professionals and technical positions (28%) the most difficult to fill.

One clear contributing factor to the talent shortage issue is that those who are in work are reluctant to leave in a volatile market. The median turnover rate has remained consistently low throughout the recession and beyond (2011: 12.5%; 2010: 13.5%; 2009: 15.7%; 2008: 17.3%), with figures this year indicating slightly less will to leave than even at the height of the recession.

Claire McCartney, resourcing and talent planning adviser, CIPD, says: “With more cuts in the public sector expected and only marginal private sector growth, we expect a continued ‘safety first’ approach from employees, with many wanting to stay put for the next couple of years at least, making it difficult for employers to really drive competitive edge through the recruitment of talented individuals.”

The rate of voluntary leavers has increased slightly in the private sector (8.7% in 2011, compared to 7.4% in 2010) but decreased in the voluntary (7%% in 2011, compared to 10.2% in 2010) and public sector services (3.4% in 2011, compared to 5.8% in 2010), reflecting the government’s austerity programme.

Three quarters (73%) of organisations have highlighted an increase in the number of unsuitable candidates for job vacancies, fuelled by the sheer weight of application numbers due to high levels of unemployment. 

However, more than half of employers (52%) believe that competition for talent is even greater, compared to 41% and 20% in 2010 and 2009 respectively.

Julie Waddicor, managing director of Hays Human Resources, says: “The rate of youth unemployment continues to soar, but employers are still complaining about the lack of talent on the market.

“It’s crucial for organisations to communicate not only what skills they need now and in the future but also really sell themselves as an employer of choice in order to secure their talent pipeline in years to come.

“Equally, with university fees increasing there is a real need for more to be done to encourage businesses to take on apprentices and introduce other initiatives to help young people gain experience in the workplace. Only then will UK organisations really succeed in closing the skills gap.”