Providing training will be a key priority for HR in the war for talent, according to a new survey from Hays.

The survey shows that for nine in 10 HR professionals, training will play a critical role in ensuring that the workforce is fit for purpose over the coming year, while the skills that respondents said they would need most over the coming year include management and leadership skills (69%) and communication skills (53%).

Julie Waddicor, director at Hays Human Resources, says: “Over the last two years many employers have had to slash, or cut completely, their training budgets. Redundancies and restructures have been commonplace and for many organisations this means that skills have been lost. Employers are beginning to recognise that training needs its place once again; the economy is showing signs of improvement and HR will need to react to this with the development of their staff and services.”