16 February 2024 , 09:44
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Demand for workers has seen a rise in January after a quiet period at the end of 2023, according to a new report.
The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) reported that there were over 870,000 new job adverts last month, bringing the total to around 1.8 million. Deputy chief executive Kate Shoesmith said: "We have started 2024 with a slight bounce-back in demand for workers in some white-collar and blue-collar jobs, after a subdued finish to 2023."
"This calming is only to be expected after the red-hot labour market as we came out of the pandemic, and activity today remains relatively high by comparison to the pre-pandemic period in some sectors. Businesses tell us they are not feeling sure footed enough to jump into the kind of investing and hiring they want and need to do to meet their growth ambitions because the UK economy has been essentially stuck in one place for 18 months."
"The spring Budget presents an ideal opportunity to work on the issues holding back broader economic growth and productivity gains. While public resources may be limited, simple measures that support people in finding a job, getting to work and staying in work, from transport to childcare, can all make a difference."
Jobs that saw a notable increase in adverts in January included quality control and planning engineers, childminders and probation officers. The report revealed that job adverts for prison officers, driving instructors and postal workers, including mail sorters, messengers and couriers, have seen the biggest drop.
Three-quarters of workers will still go into work even if they have a cold