Banks need to fight skills shortage: Hays



The recruitment of temporary staff within the banking sector is still an underutilised employment strategy, as employers are not realising the benefits of a flexible workforce, according to recruitment experts Hays.
This statement came with the release of a new survey by Hays, which found the number of organisations in the banking sector hiring contract staff on a regular basis rose to 20 per cent in 2010, up from 16 per cent last year.
The senior regional director of Hays Banking, Jane McNeil (pictured), said a flexible workforce of both permanent and temporary staff is not just a way to avoid permanent headcount or cut costs, but it is also a way to “tap into new skill sets to help minimise the impact of future skills shortages”.
“Given emerging skills shortages, it’s about the ability to access specific skills and broadening the pool of talent, rather than restricting your search to only candidates looking for a permanent role,” McNeil said.
“Temporary and contract workers can fulfil both short and medium term needs, with assignments ranging from just a few days or weeks up to many months and even years,” she added.
According to the research, 47 per cent of the almost 2,000 employers surveyed use temporary staff for special projects, while 33 per cent use them either only in exceptional circumstances or never.
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