Protect what matters - September 25

THE TALENT challenge is a long-recognised issue. Testament to this was the fact that 46 per cent of EHS professionals cited the skills gap as their top concern in the 2025 Health & Safety Report by RS and Health & Safety Matters, exacerbated by a lack of new talent entering the industry.

Bethany Holroyd, founder of The Safety Superhero Academy and author of The Safety Superhero, says this is a combination of health and safety not being considered a first-choice career. And a lack of apprenticeships, traineeships and meaningful work experience opportunities are available to inspire the next generation. What is contributing to this perception? 

An ageing workforce

The health and safety profession could be lagging when it comes to evolution. Steven Harris, managing director of Integrity HSE, says this is compounded by a reliance on older workers. 

 “We’re not keeping pace with the development of the sector,” he said. “We have HSE professionals who are still practising techniques that worked 20 years ago, but which are not relevant in the modern world.

“We also have a lot of people retiring. We did a study with a client and found that a massive percentage of their senior leadership team was going to retire within the next nine years, and there wasn’t really any strategy to bring in people underneath.”

This suggests there needs to be a bigger investment by organisations to ensure the generation below is ready to step into more senior positions. The generational shift calls into question leadership development and its potential impact on nurturing talent and staff retention. Protecting learning and development budgets can be a tall order when budgets are tight and economic pressures hit, but a focus on it is critical.

Prioritise staff retention

Retention is now firmly on the radar. In 2023, only 15 per cent of professionals considered it key to improving compliance. That number rose to 25 per cent in 2024, and then again to 28 per cent in RS’s latest health and safety report. This proves EHS teams are well aware of the importance of this crucial area.

Holroyd agrees this needs to be an area of focus. She said: “Job descriptions these days are generally diabolical. They often don’t even include a salary, and the benefits listed are things like free parking and fresh fruit – the bare minimum! Your workforce deserves more than that. If people are not satisfied with what a job is offering, they will walk away.” 

And when it comes to career development, she says this area is too often overlooked.

“Safety is a constantly evolving industry. Organisations should be committed to upskilling their occupational safety and health (OSH) staff and encouraging early career professionals to experience the industry and explore what’s out there, because ultimately it benefits their business. Legislation like the Building Safety Act is reshaping the landscape and, without ongoing training, professionals risk falling behind,” she added.

Adding to the commentary on the issue of retaining staff, Hugh Maxwell, managing director of Maxwell Safety, said: “As you get higher up the tree, soft skills become more important. We don’t always put enough focus on this in terms of their development. A lack of development in these areas can lead to ineffective leadership, poor communication, and low team morale. These are all factors known to contribute to higher staff turnover.”

Alongside talent shortages, budget constraints remain a top concern. In 2025, 42 per cent of respondents cited budget cuts as a major issue, particularly in larger organisations (58%). Meanwhile, 39 per cent noted that the push for greater productivity is putting additional strain on already stretched teams – an increase from 36 per cent the year before.

Technology like artificial intelligence (AI) could offer a lifeline but will require leaders to step outside their comfort zones. 

Maxwell said: “Leaders must evaluate and consider specific and novel AI and technological solutions which fit the needs of their business or even offer opportunities to change and expand their knowledge and skills through adoption and development. Such change needs to be embraced not seen as a threat.”

One thing is for sure: HSE professionals must be prepared to understand more about business finances and budget planning, if progress in tackling the talent gap is to be made. 

Download the 2025 RS Health & Safety report here.

For more information, visit https://uk.rs-online.com/web/