Most employers plan to maintain or increase agency staff headcount, according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation’s (REC) latest JobsOutlook.

The data shows 85% of employers surveyed plan to maintain or increase numbers of agency staff, up 10 points on the previous month.

Meanwhile, 94% intend to either grow or keep static their permanent workforces in the next quarter – unchanged on last month.

Over the next 12 months, 26% of businesses plan to grow their workforce, while 67% intend to maintain headcount – a total of 93%, up one point on the previous month.

Commenting on the JobsOutlook findings, Roger Tweedy, the REC’s director of research, says: “This month’s results confirm that employers are remaining cautious against the backdrop on an uncertain economy and a volatile jobs market.

“However, there are some positive messages with the most obvious sign of movement being a renewed positivity towards using agency workers as a means of bringing extra resources and flexibility into their operations. This demonstrates the important role of flexible working models as a vital resourcing option for UK businesses, as well as a way back into the labour market for jobseekers.”