Employment market revival: a reality or a mirage?

With UK unemployment falling and recruitment firms incomes rising, are we seeing the revival of the employment market? Or is it a mirage?

A recent report by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG has said that the reality is somewhere in the middle. We are currently seeing the slowest rise is permanent placements for over two years, and a plateau in the growth for temporary billings.

Speaking to Executive Grapevine Tom Hadley, REC Director of Policy, said we are currently seeing a shift in the type of work candidates are seeking: “Historically, employers would have turned to temporary staff to cover absence of their permanent workforce – but recently we’ve seen a shift.

“Businesses say they now take on temporary workers in order to acquire ‘key strategic skills’, and at the same time we’re seeing more people choose to go into temporary work because there are more opportunities available.