Thu, 12 Apr 2012

Staff availability for both permanent and temporary jobs continues to increase, but at a weaker pace that at any time in the several months, shows the Recruitment & Employment Confederation’s (REC’s) and KPMG’s Report on Jobs.

An overall balance of +3.1% of the 400 recruiters surveyed said that availability of permanent staff increased in March, the lowest level in four months, while on the permanent side it fell to 10.3%, having been 21.3% in February and 32.2% in January.

The report identifies a number of key skills in short supply, with drivers, chefs and general IT appearing on lists for both the temporary and permanent sectors.

Ronnie McCombe, partner at KPMG, adds: “Some of the rise in permanent placements appears to stem from employers simply switching temporary workers to permanent status due to the higher entitlements that the Agency Worker Regulations have given them.”

The report also notes: “In some cases, there were reports that candidates were reluctant to move jobs amid an uncertain economic environment.”