News
Summary of the latest report
The latest Report on Jobs indicated a further softening in labour market conditions at the start of 2026. Permanent placements continued to decline, though the rate of contraction eased to its slowest point in over a year, while temporary billings saw a modest rise after several months of weakness. Overall vacancies fell again but at a gentler pace, with permanent roles continuing to face sharper declines than temporary positions. Candidate availability increased but at the slowest rate in a year, reflecting redundancies and reduced job opportunities. Pay trends strengthened, with both starting salaries and temporary wages rising amid competition for skilled candidates. Most sectors continued to report falling demand, although some experienced more moderate declines than others.
Read the key findings to understand the impact on staff salaries, availability and sector trends.
How to Subscribe
By joining the Report on Jobs panel and completing the short 5 min survey each month REC members can receive the report for FREE.
Alternatively, Report on Jobs is available to REC Corporate members for an annual subscription of £450, and to non-members for £750.
To subscribe or to join the panel, please contact S&P Global on economics@spglobal.com
