Employers continue to seek out entry-level roles the most in Q3 (43%), but appetite for more senior roles has increased, with 39% of employers seeking individual contributors, up 8 percentage points on last quarter. 36% are seeking low-level managers (up 10 percentage points) and 33% are seeking middle-managers (up 9 percentage points).
Employers report organisational growth to be the primary reason for hiring going into the third quarter. Employers are also increasingly hiring to keep pace with technological advancements, enhance diversity, and expand into new areas.
27% of employers plan to hire 10 or more employees in Q3 2024, down -1 percentage point on Q2. However, 13% of employers also plan to lower headcounts by more than 10 employees. The percentage of employers planning no change sees a notable decrease from 44% to 34%.
Employee expectations around work-life balance, career advancement and candidates lacking the right skills are the top three challenges employers currently face with newer workers (less than 10 years in the workforce).
UK employers have found that flexibility in work hours and emphasising wellbeing are the two most effective means of boosting engagement and productivity amongst workers who have joined the workforce in the last 10 years.
45% of UK employers are actively seeking to engage under 25s, as increasing numbers of UK employers are actively targeting a more diverse workforce.
