New research shows a moderate rise in the number of companies which are now looking to hire HR specialists in the UK.
According to new data by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies, demand for human resources specialists continues to grow in the UK and Wales.
Between Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of this year, vacancies for these roles have risen by almost a fifth (18.7 per cent).
In addition to this, the total hiring levels for 2021 have already exceeded 2020’s by a quarter (23.2 per cent), with the current monthly average (2,452 roles) more than double last year’s (1,162).
This is thought to be linked to lockdown restrictions being lifted during July which has subsequently led to a slight recovery in the labour market.
The data further revealed that recruitment specialists are the most sought-after professionals, with the 6,081 jobs published so far this year constituting 69.8 per cent more than 2020’s total.
Again, the popularity of this job role has been attributed to companies desiring staff who can manage employers’ talent attraction strategies. This comes at a time where job vacancies have increased at rapid speed – with the number of jobs on the market currently exceeding the number of jobs available pre-pandemic.
Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo comments:
Our data clearly shows that employers in England & Wales are well on the road to recovery with demand for HR professionals continuing on an upward trajectory.
And with businesses not only hiring again as the economy has opened up, but also contending with some of the worst talent shortages in years, it is easy to see why recruitment specialists are in such demand. As we progress throughout the next few months, we expect to see the market for HR professionals continue to perform exceptionally well.
Monica Sharma is an English Literature graduate from the University of Warwick. As Editor for HRreview, her particular interests in HR include issues concerning diversity, employment law and wellbeing in the workplace. Alongside this, she has written for student publications in both England and Canada. Monica has also presented her academic work concerning the relationship between legal systems, sexual harassment and racism at a university conference at the University of Western Ontario, Canada.
