By Ben Chernoff
A new study has shown that the recruitment sector should continue to experience a hiring spree following the final lifting of all COVID restrictions in March.
The last few months have seen significant growth in demand for recruitment services as employers seek out the most talented individuals, across a variety of sectors.
Now the second quarter report of the 2022 ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey (MEOS) has found that a balance of +31 per cent of UK employers plans to add to their workforce.
Although this figure is down by a few per cent on the first quarter of the year, it is still 30 per cent higher than the figure for 2021, showing the huge demand for recruitment services this year.
The survey shows that employers in every sector and across every region in the UK intend to grow their team, with only London showing a slight decline in hiring confidence in the months ahead. The most optimistic region is the East of the UK, with an outlook of +35 per cent.
Meanwhile, the strongest demand for workers is in the Services, IT and Telecoms, Banking, and Hospitality sectors, according to the survey of 2,049 UK employers.
The report shows that businesses are keen to hire even though they face rising energy costs, strong wage growth and higher national insurance costs.
A key fear among many of those interviewed was the issue of ongoing talent shortages and the need to retain existing employees, while also recruiting new ones.
Chris Gray, UK Director at ManpowerGroup says: “These near-record hiring plans reveal a flattening of the curve, which reflects where the market is right now.
“Depending on which side of the fence you’re on, it can be viewed as an opportunity or a threat. It continues to be a candidate-led market, however, if you’re looking to fill vacancies, it is a real struggle to find the right talent.”
He added that employers were increasing their investment in workforce strategies with “a focus on how they identify, train, upskill and retain talent now and in the future”.
The focus seems to have shifted to the long term, with a greater focus on developing and holding on to the right people so that the UK develops the skilled workforce it requires.
It should come as no surprise then that the number of permanent roles continues to rise as does the number of fully remote jobs being advertised. In fact, 14 per cent of employers now expect their employees to be remote all the time.
The latest changes to the UK workforce and the current drive for recruitment provides recruiters with an excellent opportunity for growth and diversification. To find out how we can help you with your business strategy, please speak to us.