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Pub in London: "No signs of improvement in sight"
Photo: Ray Tang / dpa
In the UK, 78 per cent of companies are having difficulty finding staff for vacancies.
This is the result of a survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
Rising wages and high energy costs are exacerbating the consequences of the pandemic and Brexit.
The concerns in the hospitality industry, in construction and in logistics are particularly great.
In principle, however, all sectors are affected, small companies even more than large ones, according to the evaluation.
Because of the pandemic, they have lost reserves and are now unable to pay the higher salaries demanded.
"Companies are finding it harder than ever to fill vacancies, and there are no signs of improvement," said BCC expert Jane Gratton.
In an already tight job market, competition is driving up labor costs, leaving many companies unable to hire the workers they need.
Economic strength – or too high hurdles for visas?
Especially in combination with the rising prices for energy, transport and raw materials, for example, this results in a particularly precarious situation for companies, according to Gratton.
She called on the government to take targeted measures to combat the shortage of skilled workers.
This includes retraining and special visas to bring workers into the country for sectors that are particularly affected.
The government, for its part, repeatedly presents the record number of more than 1.3 million vacancies as proof of the country's economic strength. In the winter, Finance Minister Rishi Sunak saw the vacancies as proof that the government's job strategy is working.
However, economic experts point out that this deficiency is more likely to be interpreted as a consequence of tightened immigration regulations.
After Brexit, the government imposed high hurdles for work visas.
This is now preventing the return of foreign professionals who had lost their jobs and left the country during the pandemic.
jlk/dpa
