A survey by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) has indicated that the rate of employment growth seen in recent months is likely to slow. 54% of employers who responded to the CIPD survey indicated they were looking to increase employee numbers; compared with 65% of those who responded last year. However this still means that a substantial number of businesses are looking to expand further, resulting in a boost to employment numbers.
Despite the CIPD survey last year, the rate at which unemployment has come down has surprised many analysts; with the Bank of England revising its interest rate trigger in advance of what is largely expected to be a further fall in unemployment when figures are announced on Wednesday. But hidden within these results is a challenge for employers. During the recession businesses were, in general, fine tuning their workforce. Now with fresh employees on board there is a danger that the business dynamic may change.
Businesses which are looking to take on employees who are either fresh to the job market or are bruised from a previous redundancy experience will need to draw on their leadership skills to successfully integrate new workers into the company ethos. Those who rise to The Leadership Challenge by inspiring the new employee team to greatness will be perfectly poised to make the most of the opportunities afforded by the recovery.
