The percentage of UK firms facing recruitment difficulties has returned to previous highs, while one in four businesses expect to increase headcount according to the UK’s largest survey of employers.

The latest Quarterly Recruitment Outlook from Business West and the British Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with Totaljobs, reveals that almost three-quarters (73 percent) of businesses who attempted to recruit faced recruitment difficulties in Q3 2019, compared with 64 percent in Q2.

Skills shortages were predominantly felt across skilled manual roles and professional roles, with 80 percent of construction firms and 71 percent of transport and distribution businesses facing difficulties recruiting the right staff.