Headcount reductions in the first half of the year will be broader and deeper in the UK than those made last year, but skill shortages will continue to exist, according to a survey of HR decision makers by global recruiter Randstad.

Among the findings were:

- Almost half (46%) the organisations said they plan to make cutbacks in the next few months, compared to 38% who made headcount reductions between the summer and mid-November last year

- The proportion of organisations planning reductions that expect to cut more than 10% of their employees is due to double to 22%

 - More than half (55%) of the organisations with more than 10,000 employees expect to make reductions in the next few months
 
- 55% said that they were experiencing skills shortages, with the key areas of demand being managerial, operations and IT. 

- 70% report that the UK still has a long-term skills problem.

Fred van der Tang, managing director, Randstad UK Professional Services, says: “Whilst our research shows that headcount reductions are likely to be significant in the coming months, it indicates that many organisations believe they will still be short of key skills to cope with the recession.”