BCC/Totaljobs: 37% of businesses attempted to recruit in Q3, but conditions remained weak

Commenting on the results, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said: 

“Our results continue to highlight big shifts in the UK labour market as a result of the pandemic. Despite some gains compared to the historic plunge in recruitment in the Spring, we are still a long way from the healthy jobs market we saw prior to the Covid crisis.

“Given the scale of the challenge, it is vital that business and government work together on re-training and re-skilling the UK workforce. Governments across the UK will have to make sustained investments in retraining schemes for people of all ages to help them stay in and progress in the job market. The Kickstart Scheme, where Chambers are already working hard to connect local employers with young people, and the Lifetime Skills Guarantee are two pieces of a very big jigsaw.

“The temporary extension of the Job Retention Scheme in line with a new national lockdown will bring short-term relief to many firms, although much more clarity is needed from the government to ensure businesses can plan and are not left to guess from one month to the next. Chambers of Commerce will continue to work with the Treasury to ensure that support is commensurate with restrictions and helps firms endure further periods of extended closure.”

Totaljobs CEO Jon Wilson said:

“While we’ve seen increased activity on Totaljobs from businesses actively recruiting, the Q3 QRO data highlights how the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been vastly different across industries and business sizes. It’s positive to see numbers moving in the right direction for the many SMEs that contributed to this research. However, it’s no surprise that the UK market is yet to close the gap created by the pandemic – and with renewed restrictions this winter, clearly we’re not out of the woods yet.

“Long term success will come from a tailored approach that suits the unique needs of different business sizes, industries and demographics across the country. While government support is welcomed, a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t the solution businesses, workers and jobseekers need when looking to the future.

“Skills development and training are in sharp focus with the launch of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee set for April 2021. Time is of the essence, and government collaboration and communication with employers will be essential to boost business growth, better secure livelihoods and create jobs.”

“Given the scale of the challenge, it is vital that business and government work together on re-training and re-skilling the UK workforce. Governments across the UK will have to make sustained investments in retraining schemes for people of all ages to help them stay in and progress in the job market."