One in three UK businesses are understaffed at least once a week due to a lack of available employees, reports The Mirror, citing research by Indeed Flex. The research found that frequent employee sickness is a major issue for companies experiencing staff shortages. One third of the businesses surveyed cited difficulties in recruiting enough people to fill positions, while an equal number reported having staff who were unwilling to work certain days or hours.

Meanwhile, one in four have struggled to fill vacancies this year. The study also indicated that nearly two in five businesses are employing more temporary workers than they did a year ago.

Novo Constare, chief executive of Indeed Flex, said, "Employers are fighting hard to fill vacancies, but in such a tight labour market many are forced to leave gaps in their rotas on a regular basis. This is a big problem for the UK economy, as it reduces productivity and can lead to workers doing more overtime and ending up feeling burnt out. To get around this problem, two in five businesses are using more temporary workers than they were a year ago. Temps are a crucial part of the labour market, as they provide employers with an immediate and flexible solution to gaps in staffing."