As the UK economy edges towards recession, thousands of businesses risk falling behind as they fail to deploy existing employees to address skills gaps, according to new research from Beamery, an ethical AI-powered talent management platform.

These circumstances are creating a parallel retention crisis, with almost 80% of employees thinking of leaving their roles due to lack of opportunity – despite 88% expressing a strong desire to stay and grow within their current organisation, if given the opportunity.

Beamery surveyed more than 1,000 corporate professionals across various industries, job roles, and regions in the UK. The findings highlight a disconnect between employees’ skills and potential and how employers recognise and utilise those skills — a key factor in enhancing workforce adaptability and retention in a rapidly evolving labour market.

Key findings:

• Misunderstood skills: Over half of workers feel their skills are not fully recognised, with 42.2% saying their abilities are only partially understood and 5.8% feeling entirely misunderstood by employers.
• Untapped potential: More than 70% of employees believe they are qualified to take on greater responsibility, while over 55% feel they could contribute more in their current roles if given the opportunity.
• Roadblocks to growth: Employees highlighted a lack of internal advancement opportunities (45%), rigid role structures (29%), restrictive policies (25%), and insufficient managerial support (20%) as major barriers to utilizing their skills at work.
• Flight risk: As a consequence, disengagement is high, with more than three-quarters of British workers (79%) saying they have contemplated leaving their current roles.

The research suggests companies should be looking more closely at their existing talent if they’re to address skills gaps and retain key staff. Specifically, 88% of respondents said they’d be open to moving roles within their organisation for the right opportunity and if their skills could be utilised in the appropriate way.

“Our research shows that many workers feel their skills are underutilised or misunderstood. This raises questions around how organisations identify, align, and utilise existing talent – in order to close gaps, reduce risk and build a more resilient workforce. Enterprises that can address these disconnects early, redeploy talent effectively, and create opportunities for growth will be best positioned to thrive.” said Abakar Saidov, CEO, Beamery.

“It’s more important than ever to unlock hidden potential, keep employees engaged, and stay agile as skills requirements change. Beamery plays a crucial role in enabling that, ” Saidov stated.

For organisations struggling to understand the skills within their workforce, AI can help provide a clearer, more objective view, at an organisational, team and individual level. This information can then be used to redeploy staff into new roles that require similar skills, or point them towards reskilling opportunities – addressing emerging skills gaps from within organisations, rather than from outside.

Ultimately, AI, when used correctly, can help leaders better define job roles, identify skills gaps, and make more informed decisions about talent deployment and workforce planning – now and in the future.

“Skills are a critical currency, especially in today’s fast-evolving, hyper-competitive economic environment. Removing barriers to skill utilisation and investing in employee development are essential. By adopting smarter, skills-based strategies, organisations can transform current challenges into opportunities, reignite productivity, and clear a path to achieving their business goals,” said Saidov.