News: Customer Service/Care
Skills gaps worry employers
18 April 2008
Two-fifths of UK employers are concerned about finding employees who have basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills, a new report has found.
Research released by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) revealed that 53 per cent of the 735 bosses surveyed are worried about being able to find candidates with suitable abilities to fit their businesses' needs.
The report also found that 40 per cent of employers believed the lack of basic capabilities seriously impacts customer service, while 34 per cent believed it affected productivity.
John Cridland, the CBI's deputy director-general, believes skills are increasingly important in the global economy and firms are worried about filling the gap.
"A worrying number of employers have little confidence that they will be able to plug their skills gaps. Too many firms also say poor basic skills are hampering customer service and acting as a drag on their businesses' performance," he said.
The report discovered that a quarter of employers plan to invest in literacy and numeracy training.
Founded in 1965, the CBI represents the interests of the business community in the UK. 
