Both permanent and temporary staff appointments rose during April, a new report has revealed.
The study, produced by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), found that permanent staff placements continued to improve last month in April, though not at quite the rate registered in March.
As well as more appointments, demand for staff also expanded in April. The number of permanent vacancies was only slightly lower than February’s 31-month high. Temporary staff vacancies increased at the sharpest rate since January 2008.
The boost to the jobs market was reflected in earnings levels. Salaries for permanent staff rose again in April at a rate not seen since March 2008.
Temporary staff hourly rates of pay increased too, at the fastest pace for just over two years.
Kevin Green, the REC’s chief executive, said: “This report highlights continued growth in both temporary and permanent employment, although the rate of growth has slowed slightly compared to previous months.
“The incoming government must address two immediate priorities – stimulating jobs growth and reducing expenditure without creating a public sector recession through shedding thousands of posts. Private sector employers have used short-time work, sabbaticals and pay freezes as a means of reducing costs whilst retaining high-performing staff. Innovative resourcing strategies will be equally crucial within the public sector.”
