Employers are moving more slowly than usual to staff up for roles linked to the festive season amid uncertainty over levels of consumer demand, according to latest data from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation.
REC chief executive Neil Carberry said there were notable increases in job adverts for postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers across the UK during the week to October 22. Ads for such seasonal workers usually begin appearing in August.
“We may get another uptick in new job postings because of seasonal hiring before things cool right down at the close of the year," he said.
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"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."
The total number of active postings was 7.9% higher than the previous week to October 15, and 57.7% higher than in the same period a year earlier.
There were 171,633 new job postings, down 6.2% on the previous week but 17.1% higher than the year before. New job postings have remained above 140,000 since January 2022.
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“Although the number of new job postings is down, overall volume remains well ahead of pre-pandemic levels," Mr Carberry said. "The picture varies widely by sector, with a few shortage sectors driving demand right now.
"It should concern us all that the labour market remains this tight at the bottom of the economic cycle – we are likely to see profound shortages as growth picks up – [and] government needs to be working with business to address this."
He added: “Employers tell us they are feeling more like investing as the year has gone on but need the confidence boost of a long-overdue growth strategy at the Autumn Statement that brings greater coherence to government policies on skills, welfare to work, infrastructure, mobility and taxation.”
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