HRreview Header

Employers turn to temporary workers to fill vacancies as double dip recession bites

-

  • Temporary placements up 7%, as permanent market falls 5%
  • 9% slump in London’s recruitment sector
  • Graduate salaries down 18%

Employers are increasingly turning to the UK’s temporary workers base to fill vacancies, rather than recruiting permanent staff, according to the latest jobs data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

According to the latest data from APSCo, temporary job placements across the UK rose by 7% in the last twelve months (year-on-year), while permanent placements fell 5% (y/y) over the same period.

APSCo’s latest jobs data provides a snapshot of the UK’s professional recruitment market, with analysis across all professional-level sectors from accountancy and legal, to banking, engineering, IT and marketing.

While professional-level vacancies continue to fall for both permanent and temporary workers, (down 30% and 19% respectively, year-on-year) actual professional-level placements are only increasing in the temporary sector. The continuing economic uncertainty means that employers are reining in expenditure on permanent employees until the outlook becomes clearer. (see graphs below).

Ann Swain, Chief Executive for APSCo says: “This switch from permanent to temporary recruitment demonstrates how the UK’s professional recruitment market can respond flexibly to changes in the broader UK economy.”

Latest news

James Rowell: The human side of expenses – what employee behaviour reveals about modern work

If you want to understand how your people really work, look at their expenses. Not just the total sums, but the patterns.

Skills overhaul needed as 40% of job capabilities set to change by 2030

Forecasts suggest 40 percent of workplace skills could change by 2030, prompting calls for UK employers to prioritise adaptability.

Noisy and stuffy offices linked to lost productivity and retention concerns

UK employers are losing more than 330 million working hours each year due to office noise, poor air quality and inadequate workplace conditions.

Turning Workforce Data into Real Insight: A practical session for HR leaders

HR teams are being asked to deliver greater impact with fewer resources. This practical session is designed to help you move beyond instinct and start using workforce data to make faster, smarter decisions that drive real business results.
- Advertisement -

Bethany Cann of Specsavers

A working day balancing early talent strategy, university partnerships and family life at the international opticians retailer.

Workplace silence leaving staff afraid to raise mistakes

Almost half of UK workers feel unable to raise concerns or mistakes at work, with new research warning that workplace silence is damaging productivity.

Must read

Andrew Mawson: Women will not hurt their careers working from home

The future will be very different, and if companies want the very best talent, then they will have to pull out all the stops to attract and retain them. And that includes listening very carefully to what they want, says Andrew Mawson.

Kerry McGreavy: Why apprenticeships are the future

Find out why apprenticeships are the future from someone who knows first-hand. Being an apprentice gave me the option to study part-time while working, with training tailored exactly to my job, says Coventry University’s Head of Apprenticeships, Kerry McGreavy.  
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you