Most UK organisations are struggling to fill staff vacancies, new research suggests.

According to figures produced by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 86 per cent of organisations questioned reported such difficulties.

The institute stated that employers blame the UK’s skills gap for their inability to fill positions, with 70 per cent citing a lack of candidate skills as the main reason for recruitment problems.

Meanwhile, 75 per cent of firms reported that they consider the provision of additional training to allow internal staff to fill posts as the most effective solution to recruitment issues.

Deborah Fernon, organisation and resourcing adviser at the CIPD, said that organisations should examine their learning and development strategies as a way of helping to meet their business demands.

She commented: "If bosses want to come out of the downturn with a competitive advantage, they would do well to implement strategies aimed at attracting and retaining the right staff."

However, research published recently by the Learning and Skills Council revealed that a shortage of time and money is causing employees in the UK to forgo training and development opportunities.