ONS Labour Market: Employers mustn’t become complacent as vacancies fall

ONS Labour Market: Employers mustn’t become complacent as vacancies fall

Responding to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which revealed a fall in vacancies, talent outsourcing and advisory services provider, AMS, has warned that employers cannot become complacent when it comes to skills attraction and development.

Paul Modley, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at AMS commented:

“The news that vacancies continued to fall may be considered welcome news for employers that have struggled with talent attraction during the record highs we saw last year. However, businesses shouldn’t allow this drop to drive complacency towards the skills agenda. The fact remains that these levels are still historically high, meaning that access to top talent, for the coming quarter at least, remains tough.

“It’s interesting to note that the decrease in economic activity noted by the ONS between September and November 2022 was driven by two core age groups: those aged 16-24 and those between 50 to 64. The increase in older workers that’s been noted is encouraging, particularly for those sectors that are facing skills shortages. And with the Prime Minister announcing plans to encourage early retirees back to work at the end of last year, the number of older workers in employment is certainly likely to increase over the coming months.

“However, this opportunity to upskill the workforce shouldn’t be overlooked in order to prioritise day-to-day delivery. This demographic has a significant role to play in increasing the attributes of the future workforce. It’s very rare to get a second chance to use those at the end of their career to build crucial skills and employers simply cannot waste this opportunity.”



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