Nearly half, or 49%, of UK employers are struggling to recruit and retain blue-collar workers, according to a study from Quinyx, a workforce management software firm.

The study was developed in collaboration with Development Economics and Censuswide.

Issues with recruitment and retention were discovered to be most acute in industries such as hospitality, catering & leisure and retail. In addition, larger businesses (those with a workforce of 250 to 500) are more likely to face challenges compared to smaller-sized businesses.

When asked to identify the key frustrations of their workforce, 33% of UK employers cited low pay as a major grievance, with 32% saying it’s the main reason employees quit. Meanwhile, 25% cited unsocial hours as a significant problem, with 23% saying it’s the main reason they lose employees.

One fifth, or 19%, of employers also claimed lack of flexibility in the workplace as a major complaint among their workforce with 17% saying it’s the main reason why workers quit their jobs.

Mansoor Malik, Managing Director UK & International, commented, ‘’With half of employers already struggling to recruit and retain, it’s clear that employers need to address these challenges sooner, rather than later. Whether this means offering greater flexibility or developing more attractive and formalised career paths, ensuring the workforce is skilled and robust is essential to future productivity and economic success.”