Employers taking longer to fill vacancies

Employers are taking longer to fill vacancies, with an average of 39 days before a new staff member is hired, new research suggests.

The figure has increased by over three days since March amid a fall in vacancies, said jobs site Adzuna.

The number of advertised vacancies fell by almost 1% last month compared to March, to 854,000, and by almost a fifth on a year ago, said the report.

But some sectors saw increases in vacancies, including hospitality and catering, manufacturing and teaching, said Adzuna.

Advertised average salaries increased by 0.45% in April to £38,810, around 3% higher than a year ago, said Adzuna.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said: “April was another difficult month for job hunters across the UK though there do appear to be some glimmers of hope.

“Several sectors saw vacancies rise including hospitality and catering, manufacturing and teaching, demonstrating rising business confidence throughout the UK and companies are keen to hire specialist staff.

“They are willing to pay well for new team members too, with only two sectors, legal and travel, experiencing a minor fall in average salaries this month.

“The East Midlands continues to see the largest annual increases for the fifth month in a row, helped by roles in science, tech and professional services.”

Published: 20/05/2024 by Radio NewsHub