Demand for contract resources driven by business continuity and skills gaps concerns

Specialist recruitment firm, Robert Half, has urged more employers to turn to contingent resources to mitigate business continuity risks amid widespread skills shortages.



According to the firm’s hiring intentions research, almost two-thirds (64%) of employers are very or somewhat concerned about addressing skills gaps, with 61% worried about keeping critical business projects on track as a result. A further 59% are concerned about maintaining operational continuity this year. This has given businesses in the professional services sector more reason to expand their contract headcount in 2025, with 83% of finance and accounting managers planning to hire contractors and project-based professionals in 2025. In IT this stands at 79%, while for admin and customer support, 77% of hiring managers intend to expand their project-based headcount in 2025, a 9% increase on previous data. Robert Half believes that while permanent recruitment might be subject to longer hiring windows in light of the increased costs of employment in the UK, business growth and continuity is clearly at risk - and contingent resources could be the answer.



This is in keeping with latest data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), which revealed an uptick in contractor recruitment both month-on-month and year-on-year in May (4% and 11% respectively).



Matt Weston, Senior Managing Director UK & Ireland at Robert Half comments:



“It is not surprising to see businesses approaching their people strategies with caution, especially amid economic uncertainty both at home and abroad. Nonetheless, with a growing number of firms raising concerns over operational resilience, the need for the right talent and skills is very much on the rise. And while traditional permanent staffing models incur higher employment costs due to tax rises, the demand for business-critical talent remains unchanged.



“While permanent hires have long been the standard approach to building teams, the current economic climate demands greater flexibility. Contracting offers a more agile and often cost-effective solution, enabling businesses to respond quickly to changing demands and access specialist skills for critical projects. In a period marked by uncertainty and evolving priorities, organisational growth depends not just on adding headcount, but on securing the right talent at the right time, and contracting is a vital lever in making that possible.



“The fact that APSCo data is showing an uptick in contractor hiring demonstrates that more employers are recognising the need for temporary experts. However, as this demand grows, so will competition for these resources, which will create a further challenge for businesses.”



Ends



Press contact

Vickie Collinge

vickie@bluesky-pr.com

01582 790705



About Robert Half



Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) is the world’s first and largest specialised talent solutions and business consulting firm, connecting highly skilled job seekers with rewarding opportunities at great companies. We offer contract talent and permanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support, and we also provide executive search services. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm that delivers internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. In the past 12 months, Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named one of the Fortune® Most Admired Companies™ and 100 Best Companies to Work For and a Forbes Best Employer for Diversity. Explore talent solutions, research and insights atwww.roberthalf.com/gb/en.