Businesses singing a better tune about recruitment

Businesses singing a better tune about recruitment

2 April 2014

Business activities show positive signs, with more businesses finding it easier to fill vacancies in 2013, Statistics New Zealand said today. One-third (31 percent) of businesses reported vacancies were hard to fill in 2013, compared with 47 percent in 2008.

Reasons vacancies were hard to fill were applicants' lack of character, experience, or qualifications. These factors were less of a problem for businesses in 2013 than in 2008. “Due to the larger pool of people applying for these jobs, businesses can more easily find the right people for the right job,” manager of business performance Hamish Hill said.

In 2013, activities such as innovation, research and development (R&D), and training continued to show positive signs. R&D spending continued to increase, and is now a larger component of innovation than it has been in the past. Results for barriers to innovation showed decreases, indicating businesses are finding it easier to innovate.

“All these results show businesses are continuing to invest in their future, by performing key growth activities such as training and innovation,” Mr Hill said.

These results come from the Business Operations Survey: 2013, which collects information from businesses with six or more employees. Other information collected from the survey includes a broad range of business behaviours, such as practices and strategy.

See Business Operations Survey: 2013 for detailed tables and commentary.

For more information about these statistics:
• Visit Business Operations Survey: 2013

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