Eight out of ten employers (79 per cent) are using agency workers to provide short-term access to strategic skills, according to the JobsOutlook report published today by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).
This month’s data also shows that business stability is returning, as the number of businesses cutting the cost of their workforce through redundancies, headcount freezes, reduced hours or pay has halved in the past year from 33 per cent in August 2013 to 17 percent last month. In addition, the jobs market continues to offer opportunities for jobseekers looking for permanent work as 89 per cent of employers plan to take on a permanent member of staff in the next three months and 78 per cent in the next four to twelve months.
REC CEO Kevin Green said: “It’s clear that skills shortages are affecting the way in which employers use agency workers and increasing numbers are now relying on temporary staff to provide short-term access to strategic skills. This is a trend that is likely to continue as it becomes increasingly difficult to source the skilled permanent staff that businesses need to grow.
“There is some great news here for our industry as recruiters continue to successfully adapt to the challenge of skills shortages with more than 9 out of 10 employers reporting they are satisfied with the quality of candidates they are being provided by recruiters.”
This month’s JobsOutlook report shows that:
- 89 per cent of employers plan to increase their permanent staff in the next three months.
- 78 per cent of employers plan increase their permanent staff in the next four to twelve months.
- 43 per cent plan to increase their temp staff in the next three months.
- 40 per cent plan to increase their temp staff in the next four to twelve months.
