Skills shortages are a serious problem for many industries across the UK. For many employers, finding the right workers for the job is an uphill struggle.
It has resulted in a situation where some businesses are just not as competitive as their overseas counterparts because of the talent shortfall.
Recent research published by totaljobs.com revealed that 56 per cent of public sector workers believe that government reforms will not be carried out effectively due to a skills shortage in taxpayer funded industries.
Over 1,619 staff were surveyed and one-in-ten believe that improvements to the public sector will be delayed due to employers and organisations not having the right candidates.
This was seen in the healthcare sector in particular. Half (45 per cent) of health workers think that the workforce does not have the skills it needs to deliver public services effectively.
At least 43 per cent of senior central government employees claimed that external recruitment is needed to bolster talent.
In addition, a third of public sector employees said that retaining highly skilled talent has been handled badly.
Some 34 per cent of those surveyed did not think managers utilised the opportunity to let go of poor performers during the cuts.
Commenting on the findings, Mike Fetters, public sector director at totaljobs.com, said: "The past three years have been a tumultuous time for those in the public sector, with huge cuts and reforms by Whitehall affecting everyone in local government, central government and the NHS.
"Whilst there have been huge achievements, those in the public sector are clearly worried about their ability to continue to deliver services given skills shortages and staffing gaps. Many of the skills needed are those most associated with the private sector.”
However, freelancers may be able to plug the gap and contribute valuable skills which are not available elsewhere. Employers who are interested in improving their staff rostering arrangements may benefit greatly from taking on freelance workers who may have the skills and the diverse work experiences that cannot be found from full-time candidates.
