(Reuters) – Some British employers are offering more signing bonuses to tackle labour shortages and overcome hiring bottlenecks, data from Indeed Hiring Lab’s quarterly report showed on Tuesday.

In the three-months ending August 31, 75% of Indeed UK job listings advertised signing bonuses, especially for drivers, gas engineers and pharmacists. (https://

The share of nursing roles with signing bonuses remained high, with some listings offering up to 5,000 pounds ($6,821.00), according to the survey.

According to some estimates, the acute labour shortages caused by the pandemic forced many foreign workers to return home. Brexit has also restricted EU worker access. (https://

In recent months, recruiters for white-collar roles have flagged wage inflation as companies are forced to pay higher salaries to woo talent.

Jack Kennedy, an Indeed Hiring Lab economist, said that companies that focus only on bonuses and signing-on bonuses, instead of raising wages, may be betting on temporary hiring problems.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in Britain conducted a survey that found firms were planning to double their staffing levels in the next few months, as soon as the economy reopens following the repeal of COVID-19.

Kennedy stated that while the percentage of jobs offering signing bonuses may be declining, there is a good chance they will still be prominent features of the current recruitment landscape.

($1 = 0.7330 pounds)