Data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) suggests placement figures are beginning to show signs of improvement across the UK with figures up month-on-month in March.
The finding comes from the organisation’s Hiring Trends analysis, produced in conjunction with Bullhorn, where permanent placements were up 12 per cent and contract 11 per cent month-on-month in March, which will translate into promising sales figures for the start of Q2. The data also showed a 2 per cent increase in contract jobs between February and March, while permanent roles saw a 1 per cent uptick.
“This latest uptick is promising news for the staffing sector and follows further signs of optimism reported last month,” said Samantha Hurley, UK Managing Director at APSCo. “It is indicative of more confidence in the labour market, particularly in the month before the National Insurance Contribution increases come into force. Our hope is that this translates into further positivity throughout the coming months once the initial impact of NICs is out of the way and employers are able to plan for growth once again.”
Andy Ingham, Senior Vice President Sales, EMEA and APAC, Bullhorn, added: “The March data is encouraging, specifically the month-over-month boost in permanent and contract placements in the UK. This data mirrors an upswing of growth and stabilisation documented in March 2020, pre-pandemic. The market should keep a cautiously optimistic eye on this data in the months ahead.”
