The UK skills shortage and low unemployment is making it hard for employers to take on staff, according to research by recruitment company Manpower.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey found that UK job prospects were positive for the second part of the year, with 16% of employers looking to add to their payrolls.

However, Hazel Detsiny, Director at Manpower said: "We’re… hearing anecdotal evidence from employers that whilst they are voicing their intent to hire, they often find it hard to find suitable candidates with the right skills and qualities to fill a number of these vacancies."

She added that training would need to become an integral part of organisations' recruitment and retention strategies.

“With unemployment rates the lowest since 1984*, companies are going to have to attract staff through top class benefit programmes as well as invest in their workforces through training and development programmes to retain existing talent.”

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey provides a forecast of employer hiring intentions for the quarter ahead: April to June 2004.

Manpower surveyed 2,500 UK employers and 35,000 globally in 19 countries.

Regional outlook:
* Employers in all of 12 regions surveyed intended to take on more staff for the quarter ahead.
* Employers in the West Midlands were most optimistic reporting a Net Employment Outlook of +32%.
* Employers in London are least optimistic of those surveyed, together with those in the East, with Net Employment Outlooks of +7%.

European outlook:
* Of 11 European countries surveyed, all except Germany (-4%), reported positive hiring intentions.
* The strongest forecasts in Europe are from employers in Sweden (+17%) followed by the UK and then Austria (+11%).

Global outlook:
* 18 of the 19 countries surveyed by Manpower are anticipating positive Employment Outlooks for the three months ahead.
* New Zealand (+39%), reported the most buoyant forecasts followed by Canada (+24%), the United States (+22%) and Japan (+20%).