Job Outlook March 2018

Figures from the REC JobsOutlook report dated March 2018.

In view of the current economic conditions, does your organisation expect confidence in hiring and investment decisions to get...  

28%: Better
19%: Worse

17% of employers plan to increase permanent staff in the next 4-12 months.

50% of employers actioned pay increases in the year December 2017 - February 2018.

Short Term Outlook:

89% of employers of permanent staff plan to either retain or increase headcount over the next quarter

72% of employers of temporary / contract staff plan to either retain or increase headcount over the next quarter.

Small companies are more likely to increase temporary/contract workers.
Medium-sized companies plan to decrease temporary/contract workers.

At 32.2 million in November 2017 to January 2018, the UK workforce was 168,000 (+0.5% higher than the previous quarter, Aug-Oct 2017).

Unemployment and Claimant Numbers

The rate of unemployment was 4.3% in November 2017 to January 2018 – the same rate as in the preceding quarter (Aug-Oct 2017).