Businesses struggling to recruit labour
About this Indicator
The ‘businesses struggling to recruit labour’ indicator looks at local businesses who are struggling to fill vacancies due to a lack of local labour.
| Indicator | 2018 Baseline | 2021 Target | 2028 Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Businesses struggling to recruit labour | 20% of businesses struggle to fill vacancies due to a lack of local labour | No more than 15% of businesses struggling to fill vacancies due to a lack of local labour | No more than 5% of businesses struggle to fill vacancies due to a lack of local labour |
Source
The data came from the Shetland Employment Survey by Shetland Islands Council in 2017.
Most recent data
The Shetland Employment Survey was due to be carried out again in 2020, however, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented this from happening.
Why do we monitor this indicator?
Shetland Islands Council’s Economic Development and Highlands and Islands Enterprise strategies highlight that economic activity in Shetland is very strong, with high employment and a productive business base.
Despite its economic success, there are many challenges. Businesses in Shetland are struggling to recruit due to a shortage of skilled labour. There is evidence of some rural depopulation and the population is ageing.
The growing proportion of older people in the population is not necessarily a problem in itself; older people can and do make an enormously valuable contribution to the economy and their communities. Where the population balance is older, however, it will tend to be harder to sustain services and the economy.
Growing the working age population is a central aim of the Partnership and the restricted labour market means more needs to be done to attract and retain the working age population in Shetland for continued economic development.
This indicator contributes to monitoring the desired outcomes outlined in the Place priority of the Partnership Plan.
“Shetland will be attracting and retaining the people needed to sustain our economy, communities and services.”