While 94% of employers predict headcounts will grow or remain the same in the next year, there has been a slight dip in employer confidence, according March’s JobsOutlook survey from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

Roger Tweedy, REC’s director of research, says: “Businesses remain cautious in the face of political and economic uncertainty ahead of the general election.  

“The blip in employer confidence follows an upward trend and can be linked to concerns over public expenditure which is already starting to impact directly on public sector jobs.”