Lanarkshire employers should invest in developing their employees in order to avoid the staff shortages witnessed in last year.
That is advice given by Ellie Murphy, chairwoman of the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s (CIM) regional board.
Her message comes after new research in CIM’s latest Impact of Marketing report which saw a sizeable minority of respondents that were surveyed still felt their skills fell short, with 40 per cent feeling unsure or that they lack the skills to effectively carry out their role to its full potential.
Ms Murphy told Lanarkshire Live : “We have uncovered a worrying marketing skills gap, with a staggering 77 per cent of employers having skills shortages in 2020; but we’re far from the only sector to have suffered.
“The final part of our report suggests some companies are considering increasing salaries in order to attract more qualified staff and replenish their workforce. Instead, businesses should see 2022 as an opportunity to take control of upskilling in-house.
"In the long term this will improve your business by helping to retain and attract talent.”
The importance of upskilling was raised in the government’s Autumn budget, with a £3bn investment in personal development to help the UK economy recover from the pandemic.
Ms Murphy added: “With demand surging and labour shortages spreading, it’s imperative employers carry out an audit of skills within their teams and use a competency framework to ensure every base is covered before upskilling existing team members to fill any gaps.”
CIM’s research confirmed the willingness of those in the marketing sector to take on training and upskill themselves.
Almost a fifth of marketers were furloughed at some point during the pandemic, but many used this time to develop their skills, with half now able to offer a wider range of services.
Ms Murphy said: “Despite the extra training that took place during lockdown, our research shows that there remains a clear need for ongoing investment in skills.
“For countless people, COVID has been a catalyst to reassess their careers.
"Two years of unprecedented upheaval in labour markets has caused many to step out of the workforce, whether to avoid infection, recover from illness, cope with school closures, or simply to retire earlier than they might otherwise have done.
"This shock to labour supply represents a threat to recovery in our region, with many companies forced to turn away business for lack of workers.”
Any Lanarkshire employers wishing to download the research can do so here.
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