Employers offer bonuses as staff shortages begin to bite

Employers are offering fees of up to £10,000 ($14,000) to tempt “gold dust” applicants as more than 1.1m jobs remain unfilled, with the “pingdemic” worsening a shortage of workers caused by Brexit and a lack of skills.

Care home operator HC One is offering a £10,000 “welcome bonus” on two jobs for registered night nurses, both in Scotland, as private healthcare providers battle with a shortage partly caused by EU citizens returning home.

Elsewhere, mental health group Elysium Healthcare is offering a welcome bonus of £5,000 ($7,000) for registered nurses, while the Priory Group is offering £5,000 for mental health nurses.

The hefty fees emerged after a survey by job search engine Adzuna found almost 5,000 vacancies offering bonuses for roles such as care workers, chefs and nursery staff.

According to Adzuna, logistics and hospitality are among the worst-hit sectors.