Move Job to Increase Pay Packet, Says REC

Commenting on today’s publication of labour market statistics by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which shows that the employment rate reached 75.1 per cent in the three months to June, the highest level since records began in 1971, Recruitment & Employment Confederation chief executive Kevin Green says:

“The UK jobs market is continuing to perform beyond expectations as job creation remains strong and employment is at a record high.  

“However, the UK is becoming a less popular destination for EU workers. The number of EU nationals working in the UK is increasing, but at a much slower rate than any time in the last three years. Employers are struggling to find people to fill roles in engineering, construction and health, so there is an increasing risk that new jobs will go unfilled.

“As competition for talent intensifies, REC data shows that employers are increasing starting salaries to tempt candidates to move jobs. However for their existing staff, wage increases are not keeping up with inflation. The conclusion is that talking to a recruiter and finding a new job is the best way to get a bigger pay packet.”

Ends

Notes to editors:  

1. Full ONS data is available here.  
   
   
2. Year on year increases in the total number of EU nationals working in the UK, calculated using ONS data:

• April – June 2013:             4.7%
  
• April – June 2014:             16.7%
  
• April – June 2015:             15.1%
  
• April – June 2016:             12.1%
  
• April – June 2017:             5.6%