Keeping to a rigid set of skills criteria is preventing UK businesses from recruiting top talent.

Recruitment organisation, Executives Online claim that many UK businesses, ‘play it safe’ when sourcing senior management positions out of a fear that challenging this strategy could lose them well recognised skills. According to the survey, this means that innovative thinkers fail the recruitment process, damaging the skills pool in many companies.

Almost two thirds (60%) of organisations quizzed expressed fears that they would not find employees with appropriate experience, and a third said that there was a shortage of good quality executive ability.

Norrie Johnston, Managing Director of Executive Online, said: “This box-filling, play-safe approach – where the priority is finding a ‘face that fits’ – means many organisations are not exploring the full breadth of senior management talent available to them – and are suffering as a result.

“The end result is what many refer to as ‘pale, male and stale’ recruits – safe decisions where the brief is all about meeting the needs of the corporate culture rather than actually addressing the corporate challenge.”