UK firms prefer hiring temporary workers amidst rising wages

As per a survey, permanent employee appointments have come down in London and hiring decisions are being delayed. While the number of permanent hires has fallen, the number of short-term or temporary hires has gone up for the fourth consecutive month. Clearly, London prefers hiring temps, but the fact is that the rise in the number of permanent job candidates has also been the maximum in Britain’s capital.

While job vacancies are rising, there seems to be a hiring slowdown, owing to rising inflation and a weak economic outlook, which is adding to the uncertainty. Also, the reduced number of permanent positions many feel can be attributed to lengthy hiring processes.

There has been a further rise in starting wages in April, as employers are attempting to compensate new hires for the rising cost of living. The survey that covered about 400 recruitment consultancies, reveals that firms are finding it difficult to draw skilled talent, especially for permanent roles.

Maximum permanent jobs are available in the engineering and accounting space, while maximum temporary vacancies are available in the nursing, care giving and hospitality space. In the retail space, however, the demand for both temporary and permanent positions was low.

Labour supply seems to have grown for the second consecutive month after showing a decline over the last two years. That means, more people are joining the pool of job seekers. While most are looking for permanent jobs, many are also considering alternative employment in the hope of better remuneration, which will help them deal with the inflation.