Latest UK REC Report

Key point from May’s REC report:

• Eight in ten employers have either no surplus workforce capacity or may need to create more jobs in order to take on more work.
• Employers most commonly predicted skills shortages for permanent engineering and technical roles.
• 88% of employers plan to hold or increase their permanent headcount over the next quarter and 86% intend to do so in the medium term.
• 51% of employers who recruit for permanent roles anticipated there would be a shortage of appropriate candidates for at least one of the job functions for which they recruit.
• 54% of employers increased staffing and 61% increased pay/earnings in the past year.
• Employers most commonly predicted skills shortages for temporary engineering and technical roles. This is followed by temporary roles in technology and hospitality.

Permanent Jobs

• 68% employers were planning to hold their current levels of permanent headcount, and a further 20% were planning to increase the number.
• 85% employers surveyed over the quarter anticipated that they will be either adding permanent headcount again 20% or will be able to hold current levels.

Temporary/Contract Jobs

• 79% of employers plan to hold 65% or increase 14% of agency worker numbers in the short-term.
• 39% of employers expected a shortage of appropriate candidates for at least one job function within temporary agency worker roles. The majority of employers expect a shortage of temporary workers with technology skills.
• 59% hirers stated in March–May 2016 that at least 1% of temporary workers transfer to permanent status each year.
• 74% of employers expressing satisfaction with the services provided by their agencies over the last two years