Jobs were shed at their slowest rate for six months in March, according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG’s Report on Jobs.

Recruiters continued to register falling volumes of permanent and temporary appointments in March but the rates of decline were the weakest in six and five months respectively.

Permanent vacancies declined at the slowest rate since November, while the latest drop in demand for short-term workers was also the least marked in four months.

The availability of staff to fill posts was reported to have improved again in March, in line with widespread redundancies and fewer new job openings, while salaries and temporary/contract staff hourly rates continued to fall in March.
 
Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC, says: “These figures are an improvement on the last six months. They indicate the pace of deterioration in the jobs market is easing and this rings true with what recruitment businesses are seeing on the ground.

“However, we anticipate that we have not yet reached the bottom.  With unemployment still set to increase over the coming months, we are calling on the government to ensure that this month’s Budget is focused on retaining and creating jobs.

“To this end, we are writing to the Chancellor today with our five point plan to jump-start the jobs market.”