KPMG and REC have recently released June’s edition of the UK Report on Jobs: National. This report looks at both the positive and negative trends in recruitment for all sectors, including Social Care, and how this relates to the current climate.

Please find below some of the key highlights from the report:

• Rapid increases in permanent placements and temp billings
• Vacancy growth hits highest since January 1998…
• …but supply of workers drops at quickest rate for four years
• Permanent Placement Index increases sharply from 65.4 in April to 67.4 in May
• Temporary Billings Index also increases from 59.2 in April to 61.6 in May

Commenting on the latest survey results, Claire Warnes, Partner and Head of Education, Skills and Productivity at KPMG, said: “With demand for workers in May increasing at the fastest rate in 23 years, the jobs market seems to be firing on all cylinders, and we need this momentum to continue for our economy and businesses to fully bounce back. But the deterioration in staff supply intensified this month, with overall candidate availability declining at the quickest rate since May 2017. This is a worrying trend and the message is clear: we need businesses and recruiters working alongside Government to urgently address the skills gap by supporting candidates and employees to upskill and reskill to move into new roles. This will be crucial to our recovery from the pandemic and the levelling up of opportunities across the UK.”

Also commenting is Kate Shoesmith, Deputy CEO of the REC: “We now have a consistent picture over the past few months to show that confidence is growing and hiring plans are in motion. The data is mirroring exactly what recruiters tell us daily. Permanent placements are growing at the fastest pace we’ve ever seen, and temp billings at the quickest for six years. So now is the time for action. With demand spiking, the skills and labour shortages that already existed in the UK have come into sharper focus – and COVID has only made them worse. This is the most pressing issue in the jobs market right now, and has the potential to slow down the recovery. Employers must think about how they can attract the staff they need, for example by looking at the wage and benefits package on offer – there is particular demand for more flexible and hybrid work. But Government also needs to urgently look at improving access to work and opportunities for everyone to participate in training that will lead to a job. This should start with careers information that signals where job openings are being created and funding for the relevant work-related training.”

Andrew Brindley, Director of AJ Recruitment: “The Report on Jobs has yet again heated up, much like the recent weather has for all of us! The demand for temporary workers has hit its highest increase since 1998, and the number of permanent placements has continued to increase at a high rate also. We have seen these trends in our own business with the number of temporary and permanent placements reaching new heights. The BBC have also shared their perspective on this month’s Report on Jobs which you can read here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57349802 . I believe this trend of increased demand is set to continue, especially as according to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, who say the UK is likely to grow 7.2% in 2021, up from its March projection of 5.1%.”

This report allows you to benchmark your business against the backdrop of the wider economy. I hope you find it useful to help you measure and understand where Social Care as a sector sits against the wider picture.

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We want to let you know that we are here to support you, and if you would like to discuss the findings in the above report, or about how we can collaborate, please let us know. To get in touch, please email recruitment@ajrecruitment.com or call us on 03305 552233!

As a specialist, family run recruitment business, we provide a proactive and consultative approach to recruitment. We help organisations to target issues such as continuity of staffing, reducing spend where you have a high volume of agency usage and supporting those who have specific talent requirements or are in hard to fill locations. We can help with any immediate staffing requirements or longer-term recruitment projects to ultimately save you time and money on agency spend.

Click here to see what our clients say about how we have supported them throughout the pandemic.