Key points from the November survey:
- Permanent placements increase at fastest rate since February
- Sharper falls in the availability of both permanent and short-term staff
The jobs market is ending the year on a high with appointments and vacancies at levels not seen since February. In all parts of the UK there is an increasing demand, so clearly businesses continue to seek growth in their workforces.
The main concern as we look forward to 2017 is an increasing skills shortage. The UK employment rate is at a record high and jobs are going unfilled in key areas. In the longer term, improving hiring and training of young people via apprenticeships will help to ensure that employers develop a pipeline of people
The main findings for November are:
Staff appointments rise at faster pace
Permanent staff placements continued to rise in November, with the rate of growth quickening to its sharpest since February. Temporary/contract staff appointments also rose at a quicker pace, with the rate of growth reaching a seven-month high.
Demand for staff remains robust
The latest survey pointed to further strong demand for staff..
Faster decline in candidate availability
The availability of staff for filling job vacancies continued to fall during November. Latest data pointed to the fastest decline in permanent staff availability for eight months, while temporary staff availability also dropped at a quicker rate.
Stronger rates of pay growth
The rate of growth in permanent starting salaries edged up to a six-month high in November. Short-term pay rates also continued to rise, and at the fastest rate since August
