According to the CIPD's annual resourcing report, the CIPD/Hays Resourcing and Talent Planning Survey 2013, the proportion of employers reporting a 'war for talent' has risen from 20% in 2009 to 62% in 2013.
The survey found six in ten organisations had experienced difficulties filling vacancies in the past year.
The most difficult posts to fill are managerial and professional vacancies (52% of respondents reported difficulties), followed by technical specialists, particularly in the manufacturing and production sector.
As competition for talent increases, the rate of labour turnover has also declined since 2008: one in six organisations said an absence of applicants is reporting to recruitment difficulties.
Ksenia Zheltoukhova, research associate at the CIPD, said: "Low rates of labour turnover suggest that some workers at the top end of the labour market are staying put in their jobs in these economically uncertain times, meaning employers have to work harder than ever to find the right talent to fill vacancies."
Barney Ely, director at Hays Human Resources, which partnered with CIPD on the research, said: "Workers are still being cautious when considering a new role, so employers are facing a competitive market when trying to attract people to fill skills gaps.
"They should step up to this challenge by retaining and training their existing workforce with career development and progression initiatives, and by looking at broader talent pools to ensure they have the skill set to drive business growth."
The research also found that while corporate websites and recruitment agencies are considered the most effective ways to attract job seekers, more organisations are using social media. Over half report using social media, although just two in five have a dedicated strategy.
This is the seventeenth annual CIPD Resourcing and Talent Planning survey. It was conducted in March and April 2013 among 462 UK-based HR professionals.
