The latest Report on Jobs from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation and KPMG, published today indicates a further slowdown of the jobs market with figures showing the slowest rate of permanent staff placement this year. However, PAs and customer service workers were reported in short supply this month.

Kevin Green, Chief Executive of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, says:

“September’s Report on Jobs shows that the jobs market is starting to flatline and may herald a ‘double dip’ in employment.  Whilst there is marginal growth, these figures are the worst we have seen for a year. The Government must do everything possible to avert the threat of increasing unemployment. This must include avoiding new regulation that could restrict businesses and jobs growth. How the Government decides to implement the Agency Workers Regulations will be its first major test in cutting red tape on business.

“Recent party conferences have underlined plans for welfare and benefits reform but this will take years to implement. Immediate priorities for Government must focus on encouraging private sector employers with incentives to take on staff and radically improving the support being offered to specific groups of jobseekers, such as those under 25. Tapping into the existing expertise of the private sector recruitment industry is a cost effective way in which the Government could start to make real headway in this area.”