The REC’s April JobsOutlook Survey has recorded the highest level of employer confidence so far this year.

• 60% of the 600 employers surveyed stated they expect their permanent workforces to increase in the next three months and 36% stated that they expect staffing levels to remain constant

• 86% expect their use of agency workers to remain constant or grow within the next three months

• In the longer term, 94% of employers expect their permanent workforce to grow or remain static, over the next 12 months

• One in three employers (compared to last month’s one in four) expect to increase or maintain their use of temporary and contract workers in the next twelve months.

This highlights how important contract and temporary workers are as a flexible resource for businesses and how it has become an increasing route back into work for job seekers.

Roger Tweedy, the REC’s Director of Research has commented:

This is the most encouraging sign we have had so far that the jobs market is now gathering momentum led by a higher demand for temporary workers. Following last month’s slight dip in employer confidence businesses are forging ahead with plans to stabilise or expand their workforces. This fits with the feedback from professional recruiters on the ground, who are reporting increased hiring activity in most sectors.

Source: The Recruitment & Employment Federation website.  Click here to read more on this.