The latest monthly report by the recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG was published today (October 8) showing that job vacancies continued to increase in September.
The report, which was collected via a questionnaire from a panel of 400 UK recruitment and employment consultancies, revealed that job postings rose from 53.1% in August to 54.2% in September, and that vacancies were up 3.1% on the same period last year.
It suggested that the rate of decline in permanent placements moderated to near-stagnation in September, with only a fractional fall recorded, while temporary staff billings rose for the second month running, with the rate of expansion quickening to a 14-month high.
Commenting on the results, Recruitment and Employment Confederation Chief Executive, Kevin Green, said:
“This month’s figures show that the temporary labour market has bouncebackability.
“The resilience of the UK labour market in the face of what official figures class as a double dip recession continues to be remarkable. This increase in the use of temps for the second month in a row could be a sign of optimism among employers, and that they are gearing up for future growth. It certainly puts pay to any idea that changes to Agency Worker Regulations last year dissuaded British businesses from using temps as a vital component of their workforce. Temporary staff are an efficient, flexible way for businesses to increase their workforce and grow their businesses out of recession.
“The data provide encouraging signs for the economy, with demand for staff continuing to increase and candidate availability rising. However, we know that confidence is fragile and a big external shock could derail us from this promising course.”
