The Report on Jobs captures original survey data which provides the most up-to-date monthly picture of recruitment, employment, staff availability and employee earnings trends available. There are three reports, one covering the UK as a whole, one focused specifically on the North of England and one on the South.
The Report on Jobs is a monthly publication produced by IHS Markit and sponsored by KPMG and REC.
James Stewart, Vice Chair at KMPG says:
“With Brexit just days away now, it’s definitely a nervous time for recruiters. January marked the first fall in permanent staff appointments since the referendum and we’ve seen a sharp decline in the number of candidates entering the jobs market. This is pushing up starting salaries at historically strong rates.
“Both employers and employees are in ‘wait and see mode’ now and there is little reason to believe the brakes will come off the jobs market before we find out what sort of Brexit the UK is about to experience.
“The majority of sectors across the UK economy are now more cautious, and hiring more slowly than they were 12 months ago. Indeed, the retail sector is actually shedding permanent staff.
“Nationally the number of permanent staff appointments has fallen considerably in the North region, Midlands region and London. The exception is the Southern region where the number of permanent staff appointments continues to grow, albeit more slowly”
Neil Carberry, Chief Executive at Recruitment & Employment Confederation says:
“This is the first month since July 2016 where permanent placement numbers have dropped, with weaker – but still positive – performance for temporary roles, and the lowest rate of vacancy growth for over two years. But we should be careful not to overreact – employment rates are high, and the performance of our labour market overall is still strong. That said, the survey results are a sharp reminder to politicians in Westminster and in Brussels of the need to provide businesses with clarity about the path ahead, so they can invest with confidence.”
For free copies of the full reports, please get in touch or call 0333 023 0077.