Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) director of policy Tom Hadley comments:
“After a year-long wait, it’s a relief to see pay growth at its highest since summer 2015 and inflation coming down. Our data shows employers have been increasing starting salaries to compete for talent for years but it hasn’t been translating into pay rises for the wider workforce. Today’s data is a sign that employers are beginning to think seriously about how to keep existing staff, who could otherwise be lured away by companies with better pay offers.
“Businesses are still worried about filling vacancies. The low inactivity and unemployment rates mean employers have to attract candidates away from competitors. We already know employers are working hard to reach out to underrepresented groups and to make hiring practices as inclusive as possible, but they still can’t find enough candidates. That’s why it’s essential the government allows businesses to continue to recruit EU workers post-Brexit, without extra cost, time and bureaucracy. We simply don’t have the number of people in this country to fill vacancies, and if the government doesn’t recognise this it will hinder further growth of our economy.”
About REC
Jobs transform lives, which is why we are building the best recruitment industry in the world. As the professional body for recruitment, the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) is determined to make businesses more successful by helping them secure the people they need.
