HR reaction | Jobs market squeezed as employer caution grows - ONS latest

The UK labour market showed further signs of strain this week as the number of payrolled employees dropped by 78,000 in March 2025, marking the sharpest fall since the height of the pandemic. 

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reflect a cautious business environment, with persistent cost pressures, economic uncertainty and structural challenges driving hiring freezes and rising inactivity.