WORKERS FROM NEW EU STATES
COULD HELP ADDRESS UK SKILLS SHORTAGE
Manpower report - ‘EU enlargement one month on’
One month after the expansion of the EU to include the 10 new accession
countries, there has been no significant influx of workers to the
UK, according to a Manpower report ‘EU enlargement one month
on’ released today, 8 July 2004. However, those workers who
have sought employment in the UK are starting to bring the right
skills to address current skills shortages in the UK – and
by attracting workers who can fill the most acute skills gaps, the
newest EU member states can make a significant impact on the UK’s
skills shortage.
The Manpower report, compiled from an analysis of data from the
Manpower UK branch network of 300 offices, shows that more than
half of branches (52%) reported an increase of less than 10 jobseekers
from the new member states, while a further 20% reported between
10-20 new job seekers. 16% of Manpower branches reported more than
20 new job seekers whilst 11% reported no job seekers at all.
Manpower’s findings support the view that workers from new
accession countries will enter the UK labour market over the next
few years, but a flood of new migrants is unlikely. In addition,
these workers, who can enjoy the benefits and opportunities of the
UK’s flexible labour market, can also play a key role in alleviating
the country’s skills shortage.
Separate independent research conducted for Manpower by NOP shows
that 21% of UK companies are experiencing skills shortages in a
variety of areas. 39% of employers are reporting shortages in the
Skilled Trades sector (carpenters, plumbers, etc.), together with
skills gaps in Customer Service (20%) and for general Office positions
(17%). At the same time, the research shows that 22% of companies
believe that using workers from new accession countries could help
plug this gap.
Ruth Hounslow, Head of Public Affairs at Manpower, comments: “It
is widely recognised that there is a shortage of skills in the UK.
Employers need to be flexible to consider a wide range of people
for these hard to fill roles, be they unemployed people, women returning
to work, those with disabilities, older workers or those from the
new EU accession countries. A number of workers from the new EU
countries are gaining employment in the UK, which is a positive
trend. Manpower will continue to work with employers to find more
ways to attract the right people with skills in the key shortage
areas.”
- ENDS -
About Manpower
Manpower is the UK’s leading workforce management company,
specialising in permanent and temporary recruitment, HR services,
managed services, outsourcing and HR consultancy.
Manpower has been established in the UK since 1956 and today works
with organisations in both the public and private sector. Manpower’s
UK-wide network of 300 offices allows the company to meet the needs
of local and national customers. This includes numerous small and
medium sized enterprises, as well as larger organisations such as
BMW, BT, Heinz, Hertfordshire County Council, IBM, National Blood
Service, New Deal South Wales, Royal Mail and Xerox.
The focus of Manpower’s work is on raising productivity through
improved quality, efficiency and cost-reduction, enabling customers
to concentrate on their core business.
Manpower has a highly skilled workforce of 100,000 temporary employees
who stay loyal to the company (and its customers) thanks to best
in class employment benefits. These include a contract of employment
and a free e-learning tool offering staff over 1,000 courses in
a diverse range of subjects, keeping Manpower’s workforce
up to date with today’s ever-changing working environment.
For further information, please contact the Manpower Press Office
on 020 8870 2214. Or you can e-mail us by selecting Press
Office from the Contact
Us page.
