Jobs market ‘turning a corner’
A report by recruitment firm Manpower indicated a return to jobs being created, while a separate study by employment firm Monster showed an increase in online job vacancies.
Manpower said a survey of over 2,000 employers showed a slight majority of those planning to recruit staff rather than cut back, although the picture was “mixed” outside London.
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Hide AdThe Olympic Games was boosting confidence in the capital despite a wave of redundancies in the City.
Manpower UK managing director Mark Cahill said: “Although it’s too early to say that a full-blown recovery is upon us, it does feel like we’re turning a corner when it comes to the jobs market.
“Businesses that were battening down the hatches in the last quarter appear to be considering taking on staff. We’ve noticed much more flexibility among employers, particularly in the market for permanent hiring.
“The early signs of optimism are reinforced by other economic statistics of late, which point us away from a double dip recession in the direction of growth - albeit at a slow pace.”
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Hide AdMany of the Olympics jobs will be temporary, but the “Games effect” could help lead the UK out of recession and into economic recovery, said Manpower.
Meanwhile, Monster said there had been a four per cent increase in online jobs over the past year, driven by growth in the engineering industry, although jobs had fallen in legal, healthcare and among management positions.
“While the economic outlook remains uncertain, it is encouraging to observe that more than a third of industries across the UK have exhibited annual growth in online recruitment in February,” said Julian Acquari, managing director of Monster UK & Ireland.
“However, while we’re seeing encouraging signs across particular sectors, it is clear that the British labour market remains far from robust, as evidenced by the fact that we’re seeing a low level of annual growth in our employment index, as employers continue a cautious approach to hiring.”
The reports were published ahead of new unemployment figures tomorrow, which are expected to show another increase in the UK’s 2.6 million jobless total.