SMEs face continuing skills dearth

40% of SMEs have difficulty recruiting the right skills from their local market and the skills gap is a severe business threat. Thatís according to a survey of over 300 SME HR managers conducted by Inter-Tel, the provider of business communications solutions. Workforce availability is exacerbated by poor transport links (23%) proximity of the work force and a limited local skills pool (32%).

However, 30% of SMEs said they thought it would be easier to attract staff if they offered flexi working. But despite this, take up figures for flexi working across the sample were poor. A staggering two thirds (66%) of those questioned are not flexi friendly.

The reasons given for not adopting flexi working were mixed. Most said that flexible working does not suit the business model (34%) and it would require too much business re-engineering to implement (24%) ñ even though 82% of SMEs claimed to have the technology in place for remote access to IT networks and voicemail. Most are let down by their telephone systems though as only 23% have a system that allows them to create a complete virtual office environment.

Inter-Telís managing director, Chris Harris, comments on the findings:

ìThe SME is often quoted as the corner stone of British business and rightly so. But its existence is under threat if skills remain unattainable and the infrastructure that supports all business, such as transport, is weak. Remote and home working are perhaps the two most viable ways for SMEs to counteract the trend. Thereís no reason why a company based in bath canít have access to the skills base in Birmingham through a flexi working operation.

ìBy offering staff more flexible working hours or the chance to work from home, immediately the skills horizon broadens and in turn helps overcome associated trends of lateness, absenteeism, stress and low productivity. Most companies already have the technology to make flexi working a reality, and those that donít can readily and cheaply attain it. Itís just a case of making sure the technology is deployed in a way that maximises the opportunities and this can be done in a pain free and cost effective way.î