Redline Group Report on Jobs February 2016
The latest Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG Report on Jobs indicated several key points from the February 2016 survey:
- Permanent placements increase at quickest pace in three months
- Contract / Temp billings growth remains steady
- Permanent salaries rise at a stronger rate
Commenting on the latest survey results, REC Chief Executive Kevin Green said:
“The UK labour market is at a critical juncture. Permanent hiring improved last month. Demand for staff remains strong and pay is going in the right direction – but serious threats are looming just around the corner.
“Next week the Chancellor will announce his plans for the coming financial year, at a time when recruiters across the country are reporting serious skills shortages alongside buoyant jobs growth. Now is not the time to put up additional hurdles that could throw the jobs-rich recovery off course.
“The introduction of the National Living Wage, closely followed by tax changes on April 6th will disrupt hiring strategies for many businesses. Employers will seek to offset rising wage bills for example by scaling back recruitment and increasing automation. This could weaken future demand for staff.
“Global economic headwinds only add to the uncertainty around what the months ahead hold and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation calls on the government to avoid further destabilising the UK jobs market.”
Highlights from February’s survey include:
Engineering permanent placements growth at three-month high
February data pointed to a further increase in engineering and technical permanent staff placements. The rate of expansion quickened slightly, reaching a three-month high with engineering ranking second as the most in-demand permanent staff category.
Stronger rise in demand for staff
The level of available job vacancies continued to rise in February. The rate of growth was marked and the fastest in six months. Demand for permanent staff continued to show a stronger trend than that for contract / temporary requirements.
Slower fall in candidate availability
The availability of staff for both permanent and temporary/contract roles continued to decline in February. However, rates of decline eased in each case to the slowest in at least two years.
Demand for staff by sector
Demand was broad based across all types of permanent and contract/temporary personnel in February with Engineering, IT & Computing, Accounting/Finance and Executive/Professional all ranking in the top six positions for the most staff demand.
Commenting on the latest Report on Jobs, Redline Director
Adam Walker said:
“Numerous industry reports have been appearing over the last few years quoting that the UK needs over one million new engineers and technicians. The most recent of these from the Royal Academy of Engineering. The REC and KPMG Report highlights many of the daily challenges we and our clients experience in identifying specialist skilled professionals within the high technology arena. Despite the overall challenges highlighted in the report and the niche nature of Redline’s recruitment divisions, we still increased the number of successful contract and permanent placements in 2015 and crucially, improved the offer / acceptance ratio in both businesses to well over 80% in permanent, and nearly 90% in contract. Engineering and technical clients who need a result invariably achieve this through Redline.”
Redline Managing Director Martin Crapper continued:
“With a team of nearly 60 staff, 30 years in the sector and a management team with over 150 years’ combined experience – these types of challenges play to Redline’s strengths of experience, knowledge, longevity, contacts and without question the most comprehensive network of high technology Leadership, Management, Technical and Sales professionals in the sector.”
For more in-depth information about recruitment solutions in the high-technology jobs arena, please contact
Adam Walker via email at
awalker@redlinegroup.com.
Redline Group is a specialist recruitment consultancy sourcing and selecting professional & qualified Management, Technical and Sales staff for the European technology market. They provide recruitment, retention and management advice, and expertise to assist technology companies in identifying and developing the best talent for their organisations.