Vacancies Continue to Fall: Recruitment Firms That Prioritise Productivity Will Win

The latest KPMG & REC UK Report on Jobs shows permanent placements continued to fall in January, though at the slowest rate in 18 months as some employers resumed hiring after the Autumn Budget lifted uncertainty.  

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Across the market, vacancies fell for the 27th consecutive month, with the index dropping to 43.8, indicating another sharp decline in demand. Every monitored job category saw a fall in permanent vacancies.

Candidate availability continued to rise for both permanent and temporary roles, but at the softest rate in a year, driven by redundancies and fewer job opportunities.

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With demand tight and hiring more selective, growth now comes from productivity, speed, and efficiency, not headcount. Firms that fill roles faster, reduce admin, and improve margins will outperform.

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For the full market picture, read the SIA coverage of the KPMG & REC Report on Jobs here

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