The UK job market has improved significantly over the past year or so, with the nation's gradual eocnomic recovery leading to more businesses taking on new staff. It would appear this positive trend is set to continue, as two surveys released this month provide a positive outlook for the country's recruitment situation. 

According to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's (REC) latest Jobs Outlook Survey, eight in ten employers are planning to take on more staff over the next three months. Meanwhile, the number of businesses who said they need to employ more people to meet growing demand has increased from 25 per cent at the end of last year to one in three today.

REC chief executive Kevin Green stated: "The economic recovery is having a real impact on the jobs market as these are the best results we have seen since this survey began in 2009. 

"The labour market is becoming more candidate-led and it is vital that businesses look at their hiring processes to ensure that they are fit for purpose and will attract the candidates they are looking to hire."

It was also revealed by the survey that 79 per cent of employers plan to increase their permanent workforce over the next four to 12 months. Half of businesses said they expect to take on more agency workers during the upcoming three months. 

CIPD support

Such positive findings follow on from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's (CIPD) latest Labour Market Outlook. It found employer hiring intentions are at their highest level in six and a half years. 

The organisation calculates the country's net employment balance, which shows the difference between the number of businesses who plan to increase their staff headcount and those who plan to decrease it. This currently stands at +26 - up from +16 at the end of last year.

Gerwyn Davies, labour market adviser at the CIPD, stated: "The UK jobs market looks set to continue its remarkable post-recession performance."

The organisation found the increased optimism surrounding hiring intentions is largely from the private sector, with the net employment balance for this space rising from +27 to +37.

Growing employment

Further good job market news has been provided by the Office for National Statistics, which revealed the number of people in employment continued to grow during the first three months of the year. A total of 72.7 per cent of Britons of working age were employed during this period, representing an increase on the 72.1 per cent recorded in the final three months of 2013. 

Pay has also risen, growing 1.7 per cent when bonuses are taken into account and 1.3 per cent when they are not factored in. As of the end of March, 81.8 per cent of the working population was employed in the private sector, with the remainder working for public bodies.

All in all, it would appear April was a very positive month for the UK recruitment-wise, which is good news for businesses and anyone looking for parking, automotive and commercial jobs in north London and beyond.