Plans to create more permanent jobs remain at a record high this month, with 81% of employers intending to hire permanent staff in the next quarter, according to a new report.
The latest JobsOutlook survey by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) also revealed that 52% of employers plan to use more agency workers in the next three months, an increase of two points on last month; while 48% intend to recruit more agency workers in the next four to 12 months, up four points on last month.
Other findings suggest that business confidence is growing in the UK, with over six in 10 employers reporting no reduction at all in the cost of their workforce in the last year. In fact, 34% of employers claim they need to recruit more staff to meet greater demand, an increase from 25% at the start of this year.
“It is excellent news to see employers planning to hire more people on permanent contracts for the rest of 2014,” said REC head of policy Kate Shoesmith.
“Despite the skills shortages taking hold of many sectors, it is testament to the hard work of recruiters that nearly 90% of employers are satisfied with the quality of the candidates being put forward by their agency.”
Graeme McKinnon, managing director of Select Appointments, added that the findings show "positive signs" that the UK job market is in recovery.
“We are definitely seeing the number of permanent jobs on the market increasing, which is a very positive sign for the economy. This is a result of growing confidence from within UK companies that they can now make long-term future growth plans.
“Increasingly, UK employers are showing greater commitment to recruiting permanent staff, which is great news for everyone who is entering the market as they will now have a wider choice of opportunities. These trends bode well for the recruitment sector as employers need to ensure they have access to highly professional recruitment services when selecting candidates.”
The monthly tracking survey questions 600 employers, across many sectors and sizes of organisations, about their hiring intentions over the next quarter and next year.
