Jon Holt on the UK jobs market

-

“Jobs market is showing its strongest signs ​of improvement in three years.”

Context

Jon Holt, group chief executive and UK senior partner at KPMG, the global professional services firm, said recent developments in the UK labour market were shaping how businesses assessed hiring plans. His remarks came as new recruitment data suggested that employers are beginning to regain confidence after a period of slower hiring activity.

Referring to the latest figures, Holt said the “jobs market [is] showing its strongest signs of improvement in three years,” indicating that the downturn seen in recent months may be easing.

Meaning

The comment reflects growing optimism that hiring conditions may be stabilising after a period of uncertainty. Many organisations had slowed recruitment amid economic pressure, higher borrowing costs and cautious business sentiment.

Holt’s assessment suggests that employers may once again be prepared to expand their workforces, particularly if demand strengthens and economic conditions become more predictable.

HRreview Logo

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

 

Implications

Improvement in hiring activity could bring renewed competition for talent across a range of sectors. Organisations that delayed recruitment may now begin reopening vacancies, while others may accelerate hiring plans if confidence continues to build.

A strengthening labour market may also influence pay expectations, retention strategies and workforce planning. Businesses, experts say, will need to balance renewed hiring demand with the need to manage costs and ensure that new roles support long-term growth.

William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.

Latest news

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.

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.

Expat jobs ‘fail early as costs hit $79,000 per worker’

International assignments are ending early due to family strain, isolation and poor preparation, as rising costs increase pressure on employers.
- Advertisement -

The Great Employer Divide: What the evidence shows about employers that back parents and carers — and those that don’t

Understand the growing divide between organisations that effectively support working parents and carers — and those that don’t. This session shows how to turn employee experience data into a clear business case, linking care-related pressures to performance, retention and workforce stability.

Scott Mills exit puts spotlight on risk of ‘news vacuum’ in high-profile dismissals

Sudden departure of a long-serving BBC presenter raises questions about how employers manage high-profile dismissals and limit speculation.

Must read

Sally Campbell: How employers can provide better support for their male staff

More than a third of men don’t feel like...

Rena Rasch: ‘X’ploring the freelance factor: why your best workers may not always be your employees

Freelancers have becoming increasingly popular over recent years - Rena Rasch takes a look at why they have become so important to modern organisations.
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you