REC: Report on Jobs: Lingering uncertainty around the outlook leads to greater reliance on temp staff in April
Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Ongoing uncertainty around the economic outlook and more cautious hiring policies continued to drive divergent recruitment trends in April. The latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs survey, compiled by S&P Global, showed that a preference for short-term staff pushed up temp billings growth to a seven-month high, while permanent staff appointments contracted at the fastest pace in over two years. Staff availability improved for the second month in a row in April. The latest upturn was often linked to redundancies, but also more people seeking higher paid roles due to the rising cost of living. Notably, rates of starting pay for both permanent and temporary workers strengthened. Efforts to attract and secure suitably-skilled staff and higher living costs were cited as key drivers of pay growth. Vacancy trends likewise diverged, with a softer rise in permanent staff demand contrasting with a sharper increase in temp positions. Read the full report within.