The rate of permanent staff placements for UK companies peaked at its highest level in 33 months in December 2006 and reached a three-year high, according to a report.
The latest Report on Jobs by the Recruitment
and Employment Confederation and professional services firm KPMG showed an increase from 58.8 in September 2006 to 61.8 last month in the permanent placement index (on a scale where 50 indicates that there is no change).
The temporary staff placement index also rose to 58.1 from 57.8 in November – its highest in four months.
Average salary growth for permanent staff, however, remained static at 60 in December, compared with 60 in October and 62 in September.
The rate of growth of hourly temporary pay dropped to 56, from 58 in October and 57 in September.
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Michael Carter, people services partner at KPMG, said the jobs market was highly competitive.
“Within a strong recruitment market, an employer must seek to differentiate itself from its competitors,” he said.
