Analysis carried out by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has revealed that recruitment of permanent staff stopped falling in July for the first time in almost four years.
The Confederation’s latest survey showed that the index of permanent staff placements reached 50 – this figure separates growth from contraction. Since 2022, it had been below this level.
Commenting on the figure, Maxine Bligh, Chief Membership and Innovation Officer at the REC, said: ‘Rays of light are beginning to break through for the job market as employers revive hiring plans.
‘Remarkably, this is the first month without a decline in permanent placements since Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister in 2022, underlining just how prolonged the downturn in permanent hiring has been.’
According to the survey, vacancies rose to 47.1, which represents the highest reading since September 2024. Part-time role vacancies also increased at their fastest pace since August 2023.
