The South West jobs market is predicted to be severely hit by the third national lockdown – prompting recruitment experts to call for more “big ticket” Government support for business.
The latest , which covers the West Country, shows that jobs were being created, and filled, in December 2020, with salaries rising too, as business confidence grew, a Covid vaccine was released and the 海角视频 secured a trade deal with the European Union.
But with a new lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in a bid to prevent the NHS being swamped by coronavirus patients, the situation suddenly looks less rosy.
READ MORE: {}
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) is now joining a growing number of business organisations calling for a long-term plan from the Government – with support for businesses which have had to shut and for those in the supply chain.
Ian Brokenshire, senior partner for KPMG in Plymouth, said: “The region ended the year on a high. A boost in confidence led to rising salaries and an increase in both permanent and temporary job placements.
“This upturn is likely to be short-lived with news of the latest lockdown, with many businesses now stalling recruitment until March.”
But he added: “For some businesses impacted by the prospect of a no-deal Brexit – including our agrifood sector – the news of a deal means they can begin to look at forward investment with confidence for the first time in two years.”
Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, said: “The underlying strength of the British economy shone through in the December jobs figures. The biggest expansion in temporary recruitment since October 2018 shows how important the flexible jobs market is to that performance. Growing permanent placements and starting pay also emphasised the resilience of our economy.
Most Read
“The important thing now is to maintain as much of that momentum as possible through the new lockdown. With business cashflows under renewed pressure, helping employers protect and create jobs is essential. We need a long-term plan to support businesses across the supply chain – not just those required to close.
“This should include wider-spread reductions on business rates, support on VAT repayments and support for self-employed business owners previously cut out of schemes.
“We need big ticket items now, like a reduction in the cost of furlough and employers National Insurance to help firms retain and hire staff in the coming months, alongside delivery of the vaccine.”
How to contact William Telford and Business Live
Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
To contact William: Email: william.telford@reachplc.com - Phone: 01752 293116 - Mob: 07584 594052 - Twitter: - LinkedIn: - Facebook:
Stay in touch: BusinessLive newsletters have been re-designed to make them even better. We send morning bulletins straight to your inbox on the latest news, views and opinion in the South West. Get our breaking news alerts and weekly sector reviews too. Sign up now - it's free and it only takes a minute. To sign up for Business Live's daily newsletters click .
And visit the Business Live South West LinkedIn page
The KPMG and REC 海角视频 Report on Jobs: South of England revealed a renewed rise in permanent placements at the end of 2020 as demand for permanent staff improved. Meanwhile, short-term vacancies increased at a quicker pace.
Where higher permanent placements were reported, this was generally linked to a slight improvement in market confidence amid positive vaccine news and the resumption of previously delayed hiring plans.
However, widespread reports of redundancies stemming from the pandemic drove further marked increases in the availability of both permanent and temporary staff.
Don’t miss
The availability of workers to fill permanent jobs in the South West rose further in December, stretching the current sequence of expansion to nine months. Panel members frequently mentioned that redundancies stemming from the pandemic, pushed up candidate numbers.
As has been the case since March, the supply of short-term staff in the South West increased in December too. Company layoffs due to the pandemic were again linked to the latest upturn in temp worker availability. There were also more positive signs in terms of pay, with starting salaries and temp wages both rising during December.