Business Barometer 2022: Navigating the skills landscape

Skills shortages have driven the news agenda this past year, reflecting deep-seated business concerns across our regions and sectors.

From HGV drivers to healthcare workers and specialist technical roles, skills shortages are now acute and pervasive.

The Open University Business Barometer 2022 report lifts the lid on these issues with the most comprehensive research available into what businesses on the ground are experiencing and how they can be better supported.

With more than seven-in-ten firms of all sizes telling us they are experiencing skills shortages, there can be no doubt that this problem is worsening. The impact is being felt in reduced business activity or output– as well as on the morale and wellbeing of team members.

The country can ill-afford this drag on the economy as we begin to recover from the pandemic and grapple with the impact of geo-political events.

Employers are investing increasing resources into growing their own talent. They know that they need to do more to solve their own skills problems and it’s heartening to see that nearly half of the firms surveyed plan to increase investment in staff training over the next year.

Read the full report on the British Chambers of Commerce website here.