16 May 2018A survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has suggested that the UK is on course to experience ‘strong growth’ in demand for labour during the second quarter of this year. The survey, which polled more than 1,000 UK employers, also revealed that the net employment balance, which analyses the difference between the proportion of employers expecting to increase staff levels in the second quarter of 2018 and those who expect to decrease them, rose from +16 to +26 in the past three months. However, the CIPD has warned that employers seeking to recruit may ‘find it more difficult’ to source the people and skills they require. ‘Employer optimism about job prospects remains extremely positive,’ said Gerwyn Davies, Senior Labour Market Analyst at the CIPD. ‘Employers need to think more creatively about their workforce planning and talent pipelines to ensure that they can continue to access and develop key skills. There needs to be a mix of attracting new and diverse talent as well as upskilling existing staff.’