With unemployment down, confidence is edging up – says KPMG

-

Bernard Brown, partner and head of business services at KPMG Management Consulting, comments on the news that unemployment has fallen by 7,000 to 2.59 million in the three months to July.

”Another month of relatively good news for job-hunters is welcome amidst ongoing predictions of tougher economic times. With little change to this outlook expected over the next few months, employers could be forgiven for delaying recruitment decisions, but the signs are there to suggest that they are gradually regaining confidence and recruiting for long-term growth. The simple fact is that if they weren’t, we would be looking at figures highlighting increased levels of unemployment.

“However, the good news appears to be geographically biased, with firms in the Midlands far more likely to recruit than in the Capital. Employment may be moving in the right direction, but it remains to be seen whether the trends being set in one part of the country are being matched elsewhere.

“The Government’s plans to boost lending to firms could help drive the economy forward, but that is only one part of the equation. As we move towards the end of the year questions remain about whether businesses can forge a link between finding the funds to hire talent and using the skills they recruit to drive performance, increase productivity and generate growth.”

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

Latest news

Exclusive: London bus drivers’ ‘dignity’ at risk as strikes loom over welfare concerns

London bus drivers raise concerns over fatigue and lack of facilities as potential strikes escalate long-standing welfare issues.

Whistleblowing reports ‘surge by up to 250 percent’ at councils as new rights take effect

Whistleblowing cases are rising across UK councils as stronger workplace protections come into force, though concerns remain about underreporting of serious issues.

Bullying and harassment to become regulatory breaches under new FCA rules

New rules will bring bullying and harassment into regulatory scope, as firms face rising reports of workplace misconduct.

Personalising the Benefits Experience: Why Employees Need More Than Just Information

This article explores how organisations can move beyond passive, one-size-fits-all communication to deliver relevant, timely, and simplified benefits experiences that reflect employee needs and life stages.
- Advertisement -

Grant Wyatt: When the love dies – when staying is riskier than quitting

When people fall out of love with their employer, or feel their employer has fallen out of love with them, what follows is rarely a clean exit.

£30bn pension savings window opens for employers ahead of 2029 reforms

UK employers could unlock billions in National Insurance savings by expanding pension salary sacrifice schemes before new limits take effect in 2029.

Must read

Faith Franz: Asbestos safety training in the workplace

By law, any worker who intentionally comes into contact...

Simon Lyle: HR professionals are set to work 22 days overtime due to redundancies

"Every ‘simple’ redundancy typically cost HR professionals 7¼ hours of work."
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you