Extending the Brexit deadline is limited comfort for employers

New data from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) shows that UK employers remain in limbo due to uncertainty even after the UK’s date for leaving the EU was postponed in April.

Employers’ intentions to hire both permanent and temporary staff also remained fairly stable compared with the previous rolling quarter’s data.

“The jobs market is robust, but more businesses remain negative about the future than positive. This will only change when they have a greater sense of being able to invest with confidence in the UK – and that comes with securing a sustainable and smooth outcome to the Brexit process.

“Employers are particularly concerned about being able to find the right people to grow their business when the moment comes. The survey shows that many businesses already have little surplus workforce capacity, with engineering and health and social care employers most concerned. Recruiters are working hard to help clients, and delivering great results.

Other statistics from this month’s JobsOutlook include:

• More than half of employers of temporary agency workers (56 per cent) cited their importance in providing short-term access to key strategic skills, an increase of 3 percentage points from a year earlier.