YOUR REGION: United States

Tag: Job Vacancies

Modest employment growth, according to ONS latest figures

  • UK

Average regular pay growth for the private sector was 7%

UK employment rates continue to show modest growth, with the employment rate rising 0.1% to 75.7% between November 2022 and January 2023. The increase in employment was mainly driven by part-time employees and self-employed workers, according to the latest report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The timeliest estimate of payrolled employees also showed an increase of 98,000 in February 2023 compared to January 2023, bringing the total to 30.0 million. However, the unemployment rate remained largely unchanged at 3.7% during the same period. The number of people who have been unemployed for over 12 months saw a slight increase in the latest three-month period.

Economic inactivity, on the other hand, decreased by 0.2% to 21.3% in November 2022 to January 2023. This was driven by people aged 16 to 24 years, and by people who are inactive because they are students or retired.

However, the estimated number of vacancies fell by 51,000 on the quarter to 1,124,000 in December 2022 to February 2023. This marks the eighth consecutive period of declining vacancies and reflects uncertainty across industries, as respondents continue to cite economic pressures as a factor in holding back recruitment.

The report also showed growth in average total pay (including bonuses) of 5.7%, while growth in regular pay (excluding bonuses) was 6.5% among employees in November 2022 to January 2023. Average regular pay growth for the private sector was 7.0%, compared to 4.8% for the public sector. However, in real terms, growth in total and regular pay fell by 3.2% and 2.4%, respectively, after adjusting for inflation.

Labour disputes also saw a decline, with only 220,000 working days lost in January 2023, compared to 822,000 in December 2022. Meanwhile, workforce jobs rose by 211,000 on the quarter to a new record high of 36.4 million, with six of the 20 industry sectors reaching record high levels in December 2022.

Overall, the latest report from the ONS indicates a mixed picture of the UK’s labour market, with modest employment growth and declining vacancies but still some uncertainty across industries.

Lauren Thomas, Glassdoor Economist commented: “Wage growth may be hitting record highs but this is not being felt in workers’ pockets. Glassdoor’s data shows discussion around inflation and the cost of living is up 171% year-on-year. Employers need to consider how they can help their workforce through this difficult period – whether that’s through pay rises, other benefits, or improving working conditions.

Kate Shoesmith, Deputy Chief Executive of REC, said: “Our analysis shows that labour and skills shortages could cost the UK economy up to £39 billion per year from 2024 – around the same as two Elizabeth lines. Government and business must reach out and help those furthest away from the labour market into work if we are to fill new job vacancies – which our own data shows hit a 14-month high in February.

“Firms can also step up on how they employ and engage. The government can help business by taking the big opportunity in the Budget tomorrow to provide clarity and stability on its growth plans. It is a big test for the Chancellor on skills, transport and tax. We need to see creative and revitalised policies on tackling economic inactivity, from rethinking low-skilled immigration policy to support for the over 50s.”

Share this article on social media

US Jobless up by 14,000

CPI remains static

Although the previous week’s level was revised downward by 12,000, jobless claims increased by 14,000 last week. With this increase, the jobless claims level is now 262,000, according to the latest US Department of Labor reports.

According to a Reuters poll, economists forecast 263,000 applications for the latest week.

Other stats show that the four-week moving average of claims increased by 4,500 in the week ended Aug. 6 to 252,000. The previous week’s average, however, was revised downward by 7,250.

In related news, The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the consumer price index for urban consumers was unchanged in July compared to the previous month. However, year on year, the index increased by 8.5% in July, this number down from 9.1% in June.

While the cooling of headline inflation is welcome at the Federal Reserve, economists warn that the Fed wants to see more months like this and that officials are also focusing on core prices, according to Market Watch.

Sal Guatieri, Senior Economist at BMO Capital Markets, commented: “The July CPI report might be the first clear indication that consumers are pushing back against high inflation in response to tighter monetary policy. It’s a sign that inflation is close to peaking, though the climb down the mountain will be slow due to rising wages and rents.”

Share this article on social media

Challenges in London’s economy as recruitment slows

  • UK

June stats reveal lowest total vacancies this year

According to recent data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), London’s recruitment activity has dropped notably. The data was provided by business intelligence specialist, Vacancysoft and revealed that June saw the lowest total of vacancies this year.

The data also revealed that after recruitment activity peaked in March, volumes have been gradually subsiding. Following reports of vacancies reaching record-breaking figures, top candidates have many job options to choose from. Some firms have simply been unable to fill their vacancies and are removing them from job boards.

Traditionally, the London economy has been reliant on Financial Services. However, with the current cost of living crisis impacting consumer spending, corporate finance is slowing down, and this industry is now falling behind Technology.

Technology companies are currently out recruiting all other sectors. Still, there are concerns that the bullish tech market may be coming to an end, with Meta reporting its first drop in advertising revenues in 18 years and the crypto market facing new lows. In addition, tech companies are laying off workers at an unprecedented rate. In just the last month, redundancies were announced by Klarna (10%), Freetrade (15%), and Hopin (30%).

The Banking sector, however, has seen the biggest growth in vacancies in 2022 compared to 2021, up 46%. So far, the fastest growing area in 2022 has been in specialist Banking roles across front and middle office, increasing by 42%. With the UK moving into a post-EU future, risk and compliance are becoming the key areas that Banks must recruit for.

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo, commented: “While talk of the pandemic has certainly simmered, London’s economy has far from recovered. Admittedly, vacancies in the capital have shown promising signs of growth this year, however, the recent decline should be cause for concern in the current market, with talks of a potential recession in the pipeline. The UK’s post-Covid economy has been hit with employment strikes, skills shortages, Government uncertainty and a cost-of-living crisis all of which have already started to negatively impact London’s recruitment and redundancy rates.

Stability is crucial as we continue to navigate such an ambiguous market. As the trade body for the professional recruitment sector, we believe that there is more to be done to make the UK’s employment sector competitive on a global scale and redeem the capital’s status as Europe’s leading economic powerhouse.”

 

Share this article on social media

Canada loses 43,200 jobs in June

Unemployment rate hits record low

According to Statistics Canada, employment in Canada fell by 43,200 jobs in June from the previous month, the first decline since January and fully offsetting the increase of 39,800 recorded in May. This marks the first employment decline not associated with a tightening of public health restrictions since the beginning of the pandemic.

The agency indicated the employment loss in June from May was almost entirely due to a decrease of 51,000 jobs among workers aged 55 and older; there was little change in total job numbers among youth aged 15 to 24 and the core-age population aged 25 to 54.

The numbers came as a surprise to economists, who had been expecting the economy to add about 20,000 jobs during the month, CBC reported.

Positively however, Canada’s unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points in June to a new record low of 4.9% — the lowest rate since comparable data became available in 1976 — as fewer people looked for work. Total employment in Canada was 19.6 million in June.

June’s employment decline was driven by losses in part-time jobs, which fell by 39,100. Full-time employment fell by 4,000. Self-employment declined, while the number of employees in both the public and the private sectors held steady.

Jobs fell by 76,000 in the services-producing sector with losses spread across several industries, including retail trade. However, the goods-producing sector saw an increase of 33,000 jobs in June, with gains in construction and manufacturing.

Average hourly wages for employees increased 5.2%, or C$1.54, on a year-over-year basis in June to $31.24, compared with a year-over-year increase of 3.9%, C$1.18, in May.

By province, employment decreased in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec, while there were gains in Prince Edward Island and Manitoba.

Looking at just Ontario, the number of jobs fell by 24,700 to a total of more than 7.7 million. The province gained 27,900 full-time jobs but lost 52,500 part-time jobs. Ontario’s unemployment rate fell to 5.1% in June from 5.5% in May.

Share this article on social media

Small business optimism drops to lowest level since 2013

Inflation top reason for diminished confidence

According to the National Federation of Independent Business’s (NFIB) report, Small Business Optimism Index fell in June to its lowest level in nearly a decade, reflecting poor expectations for the remainder of the year.

The organization’s optimism index dropped to a level of 89.5 in June, down 3.6 points from May. This is the sixth consecutive month when the index has fallen below the 48-year average of 98.

It was also reported that small business owners who were expecting better business conditions over the next six months fell seven points to a net negative 61%, the lowest level recorded in the 48-year survey.

According to according to the NFIB, inflation continues to be a top concern for small businesses, with 34% of owners citing it as their most important issue in operating their business, the highest level since quarter four in 1980.

Other key findings include of the Small Business Optimism Index:

  • The net percent of owners who expect real sales to be higher decreased by 13 points from May to a net negative, 28%
  • 50% of owners reported vacant job openings, down one point from May but historically high
  • The net percent of owners raising average selling prices decreased three points to 69%, following May’s record high reading
  • Separately, NFIB’s monthly jobs report revealed owners’ optimism to fill open positions, with 19% planning to create new jobs in the next three months
  • The NFIB survey was conducted in June and includes data from randomly drawn respondents through its membership.

NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg commented: “As inflation continues to dominate business decisions, small business owners’ expectations for better business conditions have reached a new low. On top of the immediate challenges facing small business owners including inflation and worker shortages, the outlook for economic policy is not encouraging either as policy talks have shifted to tax increases and more regulations.”

 

Share this article on social media

Advertised grad salaries hit a six-year high as employers compete for talent

Over 36 graduates vie for every job in the UK this summer

Despite economic upheaval all over the country, there is good news for the Class of 2022 as job opportunities and pay rates for graduates soar, so says new research from job search engine Adzuna.

According to the research, 14,690 graduate job vacancies were advertised across the UK in May 2022, compared to 9,265 this time last year (+59%). This is due to employers relying on new graduates to plug gaps in their workforces.

For grads concerned about the current cost of living crisis, many employers have been increasing their pay rates on offer, with advertised salaries for graduates climbing to £26,076 in May 2022. This number is up 7% year-on-year from £24,389 and marks a six-year high in advertised salaries for graduates. In the most competitive sectors, pay rates have soared to new heights, with salaries of up to £70,000 advertised.

Even though there is a massive increase in job vacancies, the competition for grad jobs is fierce, with more than 36 graduates vying for each available job opportunity.

The research showed, however, that European law and banking firms are struggling to match their American counterparts in terms of salary offerings:

US legal firm Davis Polk & Wardwell increased salaries for newly qualified solicitors (NQs) by 8.5%, from £147,500 to £160,000, while its graduates earn £60,000. In comparison, Magic Circle firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is offering grads £50,000 in their first year, with NQs earning £125,000. Similarly, in the banking sector, Barclays is offering their grads £50k, RBS £31,850, compared to JP Morgan offering up to £70,000.

The research also looked into which university graduates receive the highest compensation five years after graduation. The Top five institutions all see grads earn over £40k after five years. The research showed that:

  • Oxford and Imperial are beating Cambridge University in terms of leavers’ earnings, with University of Oxford grads bringing in an average salary of £47,618 five years after graduation, compared to £45,741 for Imperial College grads and £44,190 for University of Cambridge grads.
  • Oxford is second only to Bayes Business School leavers, formerly known as Cass Business School.
  • The lowest-earning grads studied at Aberystwyth University (£25,129), Bath Spa (£25,196), and Edge Hill (£25,334).

Paul Lewis, Chief Customer Officer at Adzuna, comments: “This is the strongest jobs market we’ve seen for graduates post-pandemic. Despite the negative headlines, plenty of sectors remain desperate for talent and looking to grads to fill those gaps. They’re well paid positions, too – with advertised salaries for graduate roles hitting a six year high and some sectors offering pay cheques up to £70k. It’s a welcome piece of good news for the Class of 2022, who battled remote learning and pandemic pressures over the last two years.

“The choice of university can massively impact earning potential, with students from the most prestigious institutions raking in over £20k more a year on average five years post graduation, compared to grads from lesser-known places of learning. For those wanting to earn big, London universities are good bets with grads from Imperial College, UCL, and King’s all top earners five years into their careers. Russell Group institutions also dominate the list, showing when it comes to earnings, the stamp of approval from a prestigious academic institution can still make all the difference.”

Share this article on social media

Hiring spike might have hit its high, data suggests

Job market appears to be slowing down as we head deeper into 2022

Recent data from Broadbean Technology indicates that job numbers are beginning to slow following the spike in vacancies during the first quarter of this year.

Vacancy figures were down 55% between March and April 2022, and the data also suggested that job application numbers continue to decline. The statistics suggest that the lack of resources agrees the UK is impacting job market growth.

Further information from Broadbean also shows a 37% decline in the number of vacancies year-on-year between April 2021 and April 2022. This could be due to the hiring spike reported last year when UK businesses prepared for Freedom Day in 2021. Similarly, applications decreased by 75% month-on-month and 75% year-on-year.

Looking at the data by sector, the following industries saw significant drops in applications

  • Application numbers in the IT sector fell 72% between March and April of this year
  • The logistics sector saw a drop of 77%
  • Building & construction were down 75%

With talent shortages reported across all three of these sectors, these numbers come as no surprise.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology, commented: “The UK’s skills crisis is continuing to be a focal issue, and for good reason as our data shows that these shortages are impacting almost every business, across every sector. While the sudden rise in recruitment activity received a warm welcome at the beginning of 2021, we are beginning to see signs of vacancy numbers slowing down over a year later. Given the dearth of available resources, there’s a high chance that this drop in new vacancies is simply a sign that businesses cannot fill roles they’ve had open for some time and are unlikely to add any more roles if they cannot meet the current operational needs.”

“For employers and recruiters, now is a critical time. Businesses need to rebuild and nurture dwindling talent pools, utilise innovative technology and maximise partnerships with external talent suppliers in order to find the resources that are needed. Difficult times are ahead for the UK economy, and we need a recruitment market that can best support economic growth.”

Share this article on social media

UK towns and cities most affected by the Great Resignation

  • UK

UK vacancies up 48% year-on-year

The locations with the highest rates of jobseekers have been revealed in a new study. London, Manchester, Birmingham, and towns on London’s commuter belt topped the list. The study results indicate that as offices reopen and daily commuting re-commence, workers are searching for roles closer to home.

The research by job search engine Adzuna also revealed that every advertised London-based job ad received an average of 65 views during April – indicative of high job churn in the capital city and centre of the Great Resignation in the UK.

Second on the list of jobseeker activity was Manchester, with over nine views for every job listing. Birmingham was third at over seven views per ad.

Edinburgh, Scotland, and Cardiff, Wales, also featured on this list, with view rates of 2.5 and 1.83, respectively. Northern Ireland, however, didn’t feature on the list – possibly showing that the Great Resignation has not reached them yet.

Further findings for April 2022 included:

  • Advertised vacancies in the UK were up 48% year-on-year, to 1,298,581.
  • Over half a million vacancies were on offer across London and surrounding areas.
  • The average advertised salary in London and surrounding commutable areas was £45,515.
  • The average advertised UK salary was £36,587 in April. This is 3% lower than 12 months ago (£37,898).
  • The number of advertised vacancies has exceeded the number of job seekers for the first time.

The study also revealed a growing interest in jobs within commuter towns. Slough and Heathrow experienced the fourth-highest jobseeker activity level. While traditionally, workers in these locations would have commuted into London, they are now looking for jobs closer to home. Job ads, on average, received over four views per posting in these areas.

There was also high jobseeker demand in other commuter towns around London:

  • Chelmsford (2.47)
  • Reading (2.45)
  • Guildford and Aldershot (2.07)
  • Luton (1.88)
  • Crawley (1.87)

The commuter belt towns accounted for a fifth of the list of top 30 UK towns and cities with the highest jobseeker activity.

Looking across the UK, England had the highest activity from jobseekers, with an average of 3.6 views per job ad. Rates were much lower across the rest of the UK with Scotland at 0.26, Wales at 0.11 and Northern Ireland at only 0.03.

Paul Lewis, Chief Customer Officer at Adzuna, comments: “London is at the core of the Great Resignation in the UK, but our data reveals the trend is spreading out fast. In particular, jobs in commuter towns are seeing high interest levels driven by a renewed interest from Brits to spend more time at home. As offices have reopened and commutes have restarted, workers are looking for close to home options that will continue to give them the flexibility they got used to over the pandemic and various lockdowns, be that picking the kids up from school, or simply working flexible hours. The return-to-office is a huge driver of the current high movement between jobs, and companies offering fully remote options, or even much publicised ‘work from anywhere’ policies, are stealing a march on the competition and coming out on top.”

Share this article on social media

Vacancies in Wales continue to rise

2022 to be another record-breaking year
According to research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), vacancies across Wales continue to rise. Vacancy levels in 2022 are set to be 196% higher than the three-year average for 2018 – 2020.

Business intelligence specialist Vacancysoft provided the data, which shows that new jobs were up 88.2% in January this year, compared to the same month last year, marking a new milestone for recruitment levels across the country.

A further finding was that real estate saw the greatest increase in recruitment across all sectors. Jobs in this sector increased by 184% year-on-year, likely due to the unprecedented interest in the Welsh housing market.

The research also showed that IT experts were in highest demand throughout Wales. Throughout the pandemic, recruiting for IT specialists was steady and accounted for 16.3% of all new vacancies across the country in 2021. Jobs in the engineering sector saw the greatest increase, with recruitment up 275.9% year-on-year.

These reported figures are in keeping with trends across the UK which continue to show record-breaking vacancy numbers online. With evident skills shortages across the country, the turbulent, candidate-driven market shows no signs of abating.

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo, commented: “Despite Omicron threatening the UK’s economic recovery, Wales began 2022 with record-breaking recruitment levels, however, while the professional sectors are currently holding up well, skills shortages are evident across almost every specialism. The data suggests that recruitment demand will only continue to grow across Wales for the rest of this year and with experts such as IT professionals in high demand, but short supply, businesses will find sourcing the best talent becomes increasingly difficult.”

Share this article on social media

600,000 more inactive workers than pre-pandemic 

  • UK

ONS stats show increase in economic inactivity

The latest figures from the ONS have been released and what stands out is that even though average pay rises for the first quarter are at an average of 4% (excluding bonuses), this appears well below inflation. However, in real terms (adjusted for inflation), growth in total pay was 0.4% and regular pay fell on the year at negative 1.0%. Strong bonus payments over the past six months have kept recent real total pay growth positive but employers may find it even harder to retain talent through salary increases alone as the cost-of-living crisis continues in the UK.

The latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) showed that for December 2021 to February 2022 the employment rate remains unchanged on the quarter, while the unemployment rate decreased. Over the same period, the economic inactivity rate has increased slightly which signals a slight dip in the economic rebound following the end of the pandemic with inactivity increasing by 0.2 percentage points to 21.4% from December to February 2022.

There was a noteworthy increase, albeit small, in the number of payrolled employees for March 2022 which is up 35,000 on the revised February 2022 to a record 29.6 million.

The report showed that once again, the number of job vacancies in January to March 2022 rose to a new record of 1,288,000, with the rate of growth in vacancies continuing to slow down.

Jon Keeble, employment partner at DWF commented on the latest report: “The latest ONS labour market figures demonstrate continued resilience in the labour market. The highlights for the period between December 2021 and February 2022 show a largely unchanged employment rate of 75.5%.

“With legal requirements largely removed across the UK and a shift over to personal responsibility we are very much in the phase of having to live with COVID-19. Although employers are now faced with a number of practical challenges as we enter this next chapter, the relaxation of restrictions should have a positive effect on the labour market.

“We are yet to see what impact the cost-of-living crisis will have on the labour market and whether the Chancellor’s Spring Statement and the rise in the National Minimum Wage will provide sufficient support.  Undoubtedly, employees who are struggling to cope financially will be seeking out those employers, which are able to provide the most attractive rewards package.”

James Reed, Chairman of Reed.co.uk, also commented: “The economy is facing a crunch point as businesses contend with serious challenges, from rapidly rising inflation to severe labour shortages. The jobs boom that began last year continues to be reflected in the ONS’s labour market statistics. With job postings on Reed.co.uk in March increasing 18% year-on-year and 14% month-on-month, this trend shows little sign of slowing. But with economic growth now as low as 0.1% and unemployment at historic lows, the jobs boom is in danger of becoming a jobs overload.”

“The difficulties businesses now face in hiring staff, are having a knock-on effect on supply chains, production output and the quality of goods and services. This is slowing the UK’s economic recovery from the pandemic.

“There are now 8.8 million people who are economically inactive in the UK, which is 600,000 more than at the start of the pandemic. This is a symptom of what I call ‘The Great Lie Down’, with many workers leaving the workforce altogether, some through long term sickness and others preferring early retirement or different lifestyle choices. If these workers are to be coaxed back, they will need convincing with attractive employment arrangements, higher wages and better conditions and benefits.

“Currently, less than 20% of these people who are economically inactive say they would like a regular, paid job. However, if it was possible to help this group find work then that would be of great benefit to both them and the economy.”

Share this article on social media
Advertise
Magazines
News

Copyright ©  TALiNT Partners Ltd.
All Rights Reserved.

Contact
Terms & Conditions 
Privacy Policy

Design and Development
by HUB London

Social Links
Linkedin Instagram Youtube