Glimmer of hope as contract placements rally

by Susie Hughes at 11:53 15/02/21 (News on Business)

Vacancies for contract and permanent jobs increased in January when compared to December 2020 as optimism returned to the professional recruitment sector, according to the latest monthly Recruitment Trends Snapshot report from agency group APSCo.

Advertisement The data revealed that following the usual dip in recruitment activity over the Christmas period, hiring bounced back in January for both contract and permanent jobs with roles up 42 per cent and 38 per cent respectively - indicating that the current climate isn’t hampering the regrowth from the pandemic. In December, contract vacancies were down by 11 per cent year-on-year – a five per cent improvement on December where the drop was 16 per cent. The data also reveals that while permanent placements increased by seven per cent month-on-month, contract placements fell by six per cent. However, there was an increase in sales revenue from contract placements (up seven per cent month-on-month) suggesting that there were higher value placements in January compared to December 2020. Advertisement The daily tracking data reveals that there was a flurry of activity immediately after the Christmas period with 14 per cent more contract jobs added in the first two weeks of January compared to the last two weeks of the month. Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo said: “It’s incredibly encouraging to see such a healthy uptick in vacancies for both permanent and contract roles month-on-month following the usual seasonal dip in December. And while we entered the New Year with the announcement of another national lockdown, schools closing once more, and a return to widespread remote working, our data suggest that this hasn’t dampened hiring intentions with businesses remaining optimistic despite the current restrictions. "In addition, the fact that the percentage drop in year-on-year vacancies for permanent jobs is closing indicates we are certainly moving in the right direction. It is also interesting to note that we are seeing higher value contract placements indicative of the increasing reliance on the professional contingent workforce as employers turn to agile and flexible hiring solutions in an uncertain market.” Tweet -- If you wish to comment on this article, please log in and use the Reply button below. Registering is free and easy - see 'Join Shout99'. - Susie Hughes © Shout99 2021

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