Employers struggle to recruit owing to a housing shortage
Employers in Lochaber are facing a struggle to attract new talent to work in the area due to a lack of housing.
Companies are facing delays in recruitment and staff shortages because a ‘tight’ housing market in Lochaber is making it difficult for employers to recruit new members of staff, even on a temporary basis.
Marine Harvest, which employs more than 550 people across its 49 farms on the West Coast, is one of the major employers in Lochaber. It has spoken out about the impact of housing shortages on recruitment.
Steve Bracken, business support manager at the fish farm company, told the Lochaber Times this week: ‘When we are bringing in specialists, it hits a problem. The rental housing market is tight, which does make it difficult to bring in new people.
‘We want our recruits living in the area and enjoying life on the West Coast. It’s fine for people already living up here but for those coming up and looking to move, it is difficult.’
As a result, Marine Harvest has had to secure a number of long leases on properties to ensure incoming staff have a place to live.
The problem extends to Skye and Lochalsh, where the company is struggling to find accommodation for the 55 employees needed to staff its new £93 million fish feed plant near Kyleakin, which is due to be operational by the end of this year.
‘We are living in a free housing market and perhaps it is more lucrative for people to have houses built as holiday lets,’ Mr Bracken continued. ‘For us, we need to keep our eyes open to what’s available.’
Marine Harvest is not the only company facing recruitment problems caused by housing shrotages.
The Post Office in Fort William recently displayed a sign at its premises in WH Smith which apologised for a delay in service caused by a ‘staff recruitment issue’ and ‘the struggle to find accommodation’ in the town for relief staff.
A Post Office spokesperson later explained that the branch has had issues finding short-term accommodation for staff from other offices to cover the vacancies while recruitment takes place.
The spokesperson apologised for the inconvenience caused during the temporary staffing shortage and said it was addressing this issue ‘as a matter of urgency’.
Lesley Benfield, CEO of Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, said that with Lochaber’s workforce projected to grow substantially amid economic expansion in the area, the housing shortage is ‘a crucial issue’ that needs to be addressed swiftly.
She added: ‘Business in Lochaber is going through an exciting period of growth, but we’re very aware from our members that people wishing to move here for work can find it difficult to find longterm accommodation.’