Research shows Yorkshire businesses struggle to retain staff

A Yorkshire recruitment company claims it is leading the way with its insights into the Yorkshire and Humber jobs market.

KD Recruitment’s founder, Kelly Dunn said: “During the last two ‘Pandemic’ years, the North of England bucked the trend, outshining other parts of the UK with regards to temporary and permanent employment.

“This was due to many businesses in the North adapting to the difficult situation caused by Covid-19, ensuring many businesses survived one of the deepest recessions in history.

“It’s our opinion that now is not the time to ‘rest on our laurels’. As we emerge in a world that has to live alongside the Covid-19 virus, there are several common factors causing concern. In addition…the Yorkshire and Humber region could start lagging behind in other ways if we do not adapt our recruitment and retention strategies.”

Kelly continued: “Working with the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, their research shows the skills shortage is one the main concerns for recruiters across the UK, with 65% indicating employers will find this a bigger challenge going forward.

“Another concern is the current immigration system, which is one of the after-effects of Brexit. Businesses that rely heavily on seasonal EU workers are struggling to get the temporary VISAs needed for them to be able to come back and work in the UK.

“And as the Pandemic was a time when a lot of people re-evaluated their priorities, many employees are now reticent to change jobs as their confidence in the market hasn’t returned just yet.”

In addition, data from the Office of National Statistics (December 2021) reveals that Yorkshire and the Humber is the lowest paid area in UK, with earnings drop of -1.3 per cent in the third quarter of 2021.

So as local employers grapple with various staffing challenges, some businesses within Yorkshire and the Humber could lag behind, with a seeming unwillingness to adapt to new business models.

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