REC, Labour Market Tracker: Employers waiting longer than usual to hire for Christmas.

Arianna Adamo
November 7 2023

 

The latest Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Lightcast Labour Market Tracker finds cautious employers moving more slowly to staff up for Christmas than usual.

 

The insights from this report highlight the intricate relationship between economic conditions, labour market dynamics, and hiring practices. Employers are navigating a challenging environment, and their decisions regarding seasonal hiring are influenced by multiple external factors. This information is valuable for job seekers, employers, and policymakers as they consider the current state of the labour market in the UK.

 

  • The number of active postings in the week of 16-22 October 2023 was 2,150,083 – a 7.9% increase compared to the previous week (9-15 October 2023). This reflects higher time-to-fill in a few sectors with remaining shortages.

 

  • There were 171,633 new job postings in the week of 16-22 October 2023 – a slight softening on previous weeks but emphasising that – while labour market demand has softened – vacancies are still high by historical standards.

 

  • Notable increases in adverts for postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers (+52.0), roundspersons and van salespersons (+17.1%), and typists and related keyboard occupations (+14.4%).

 

  • No place in the UK saw a decline in job adverts in the week of 16-22 October 2023 as compared to the previous week (9-15 October 2023).

 

 

REC Chief Executive Neil Carberry commented: “Although the number of new job postings is down, overall volume remains well ahead of pre-pandemic levels. The picture varies widely by sector, with a few shortage sectors driving demand right now. It looks like employers’ caution about Christmas demand has led them to wait a few weeks longer than normal to hire. It means jobseekers are just beginning to see signs of a flurry of opportunities to find flexible work with quick starts, in sectors such as retail, hospitality and logistics.”

 

 

 

 

 

  • A more than 100% rise in active job postings in September 2023 compared to pre-pandemic February 2020 for medical and dental technicians (128.5%), midwives (129.2%) and pharmacy and other dispensing assistants (194.6%)

 

  • And 91.8% rise in job postings in September 2023 compared to pre-pandemic February 2020, for nursing auxiliaries and assistants and 81.8% for nursery nurses and assistants.

 

  • Comparing September 2023 to pre-pandemic February 2020, there is a 95% rise in job postings for senior care workers and 43.5% for care workers and home care workers.

 

  • No let up in demand for nurses, with demand about the same as February 2020.

 

  • Comparing September 2023 to pre-pandemic February 2020, there is a near doubling in demand for health worker roles (excluding nurses) in England, apart from in London.

 

 

READ FULL REPORT HERE

 

 

 

 

 

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