Share Sounds presented by Sarah Pennells (1) related to Work

A lack of skilled workers is increasingly forcing many employers to offer higher wages and lower requirements for candidates. That's according to research from The Recruitment & Employment Confederation which found nearly half of employers struggling to recruit for permanent roles. To find out more about what's causing this Share Radio's Tom Hill spoke to REC Director of Policy and Professional Services Tom Hadley.

Last week saw the introduction of new gender pay reporting regulations forcing companies employing more than 250 people to publish information about their pay. So, what will this information really tell you, what can you do if you think you're not being paid the same as men in your organisation and what happens if you don't comply with the rules?

According to research from Price Waterhouse Coopers up to 30% of existing UK jobs are susceptible to automation with transport, manufacturing or retail amongst the most at risk. Whilst this might boost overall productivity it does present problems for those in some of the industries at threat. To find out more about the future of the job market with automation Share Radio's Tom Hill spoke to John Hawksworth, chief economist at PwC.

UK mums get one of the lowest amounts of decently-paid maternity leave in Europe According to research by the TUC, only Ireland and Slovakia have worse entitlements. To find out more Share Radio's Joe Aldridge spoke to Kathryn Mackridge, Equality Officer at the TUC.

Complicated jargon could be putting many young job seekers off applying to vacancies according to research out today from the City and Guilds group. Terms such as 'fulfillment service' and 'KPIs' are amongst the most confusing with two thirds of young people claiming they don't understand the language used by employers in their job adverts. To find out more Share Radio's Sara Macham spoke to Michael Osbaldeston, special advisor at the City and Guilds Group.

From Deliveroo to Uber more and more people are getting involved in the gig economy. Whilst for many it can provide a useful income boost, thousands could be missing out on employment rights. Indeed nearly two-thirds of gig economy workers think the Government should do more to regulate according to research from The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. To find out more from the people behind the research Share Radio's Tom Hill spoke to CIPD chief economist Ian Brinkley.

A survey by Grant Thornton showed that of 5,500 businesses in 36 economies, the proportion of women in senior management has reached an all-time high of 25 per cent, up 1 percentage point from 2016, and up 6 percentage points since the survey began in 2004. Share Radio's Sara Macham spoke to Kate Cooper, Head of Research, Policy & Standards at the Institute of Leadership & Management, to find out how the UK fared in the survey compared to other countries.

Last week the Chancellor announced £500m worth of investment into technical education as part of the budget. Amongst the changes we'll see the introduction of new T-level qualifications aimed at teaching vocational subjects. To find out more about the investments being made Sarah Pennells spoke to Petra Wilton, Director of Strategy and External Affairs at the CMI.

How happy are you in your job? A recent survey found the average UK employee ranked themselves at 67 out of 100 on the happiness scale, and that four fifths think employers are just as responsible for ensuring happiness at work. To find out what things make us happiest at work Share Radio's Sara Macham spoke to Matt Weston, director at recruitment consultant Robert Half.

Recruitment firm Morgan McKinley have recently released their UK 2017 Salary Guide revealing a year of mixed fortunes for professionals. Uncertainty has weighed heavy on the UK jobs market however it's not all doom and gloom especially for industries such as technology. To talk us through the figures Share Radio's Pascale Davies spoke to director at Morgan McKinley, Cem Baris.