'81% of firms' are having recruitment troubles

More than eight out of ten employers are currently having problems recruiting high-quality staff, new research reveals.

This figure represents a fourfold increase compared to data from five years ago, a study by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) indicates. Meanwhile, 78 per cent of firms say retention is growing more difficult.

Jo Causon, director of marketing and corporate affairs at the CMI, said that workers are motivated by more than a big paycheque.

"Feedback from individual managers provides the clearest indication that pay is not their major motivator," she remarked.

"They want employers to show commitment in the shape of ongoing professional development and, if organisations are serious about retaining the best talent, they urgently need to meet these needs."

Over half (51 per cent) of organisations admit that they do not provide adequate training or career development.

Last month, an Ernst & Young survey revealed that 44 per cent of graduates put training opportunities at the top of their list while job-hunting.