\Almost 40% of UK employers are struggling to fill positions due to a lack of staff with the right skills, according to research by Manpower.

The research reveals that the four hardest to fill positions are skilled manual trades, administrative assistants & PAs, engineers and sales representatives. The four positions also comprised the hardest to fill positions in 2006. 

It found management/executives are now much harder to find compared to last year, having moved up the hardest to find list from tenth to fifth position.

Mark Cahill, Manpower UK’s managing director, says: “Employers need to maintain a flexible approach to their recruitment needs – such as thinking about using temporary staff to meet short-term needs, looking to older workers and mothers returning to work or looking to staff from outside the UK. 

“In a tightening labour market, it is also important that employers think about holding onto staff – the benefits package, career progression and training opportunities available are all important factors employers need to consider as part of their retention strategy. Our research earlier this year showed that staff retention was a key priority for all businesses and organisations.  Good people are in demand and it’s very much a candidate’s market.”

The research found that the skills shortage appears to be least problematic in India (9%), Ireland (17%) and China (19%).