Adecco responds to today's ONS figures

Steven Kirkpatrick, Managing Director, Adecco - the UK's largest

recruiter, said:

"We are not surprised to see that the recruitment market has remained

relatively stable. Temporary/contract roles have fared slightly better

than permanent positions in recent months, suggesting that although

staffing requirements are gradually increasing, employers still remain

tentative about the outlook in the short term. However, key indicators

suggest that the cautious mood of the industry may turn more confident

in the year ahead.

The banking, insurance and finance sector continues to show positive

growth in terms of new role creation , particularly for temporary

positions. It's very encouraging to see that recruitment volumes are

holding up well, although the prevailing approach across most sectors

still appears to be one of 'wait and see'. The next few months are going

to be critical. If  key sectors can continue to show signs of steady

growth, then we could see related professional service sectors such as

accountancy and law reaping the benefits and following suit, boosting

job creation across the board."