Positive signs for summer seasonal hiring

The outlook for summer seasonal hiring appears to be in positive territory as recent data shows a surge in new job postings across the UK.

New Job Postings Up

Looking at figures from the previous month, there was a total of 1,763,701 active job postings within the UK – this represents a 9.2% increase from May and an 11.4% increase year-on-year.

New job postings for June saw an increase of 30.8% compared to May, and a 10.8% rise year-on-year – a total number of 893,510

The Sectors Driving the Rise in Job Postings

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) monthly Labour Market Tracker found that part of the rise in new job adverts is coming from agriculture, retail and hospitality – all of which are significant sectors to measure early summer seasonal hiring.

However, next month’s data will make the figures even clearer – once the school and university summer holidays start, it’ll be easier to see the full extent of job growth.

Real Recovery Relies on an Economic Plan That Sustains Growing Confidence

Commenting on the findings, Lorraine Laryea, REC’s Chief Standards Officer, said, “Today’s data on job adverts backs what we have seen in feedback and data from recruiters about activity over the past few weeks.

“There is a clear uptick in firms taking action on long-held hiring plans. We do need to be careful of seasonal effects, including the two bank Holidays in May and the onset of summer hiring in locations like Cornwall, but the general trend is clear. Firms are venturing back to hiring, and vacancies are now above pre-Gulf crisis levels.”

Laryea added, “With a new Prime Minister coming to office, real recovery relies on an economic plan that sustains growing confidence, not action that once again deflates it and derails companies’ plans.

“A proper partnership approach with business will be key to this, inserting pragmatism into the unworkable areas of the Employment Rights Act, like guaranteed hours, and avoiding unnecessary new burdens like checking workers’ right to work repeatedly when a solid check has already been done.

“Addressing the tax barrier to employment that has been created by changes to the National Insurance threshold is also vital, as that is the decision that helped set the job market recovery back in the first place.”

For more information, please contact Jaime on 01442 795 100 or email jaime.thorpe@dolanaccountancy.com.