The survey, conducted in June 2026, found that 90 % of respondents believe higher employment costs have reduced their ability to recruit entry-level employees. More than two thirds of organisations reported that rising operating costs are influencing recruitment decisions, while one in five experienced a reduction in workforce size over the past 12 months. Many employers have responded by delaying recruitment, increasing workloads for existing teams or placing greater emphasis on experienced employees and multi-skilled staff.

Skills development and wellbeing remain strategic priorities

Despite the recruitment challenges, the survey indicates continued investment in workforce development. Nearly three quarters of organisations are preparing early-career employees for future leadership roles, while more than a third have increased spending on training and professional development. Leadership, artificial intelligence, automation, creativity, communication and customer experience were identified as the most important skills for the coming years. The research also found that employee wellbeing has become more firmly embedded within workplace culture, although almost half of respondents reported an increase in burnout, stress or other wellbeing-related issues linked to high workloads, staffing shortages and financial pressures.