The REC’s latest survey of employers shows positive signs for the UK’s labour market ahead of 2010. December’s Jobs Outlook reported that 22% of employers now say business is beginning to improve, compared to just 1% in September.

Commenting on the survey, REC’s Director of Research Roger Tweedy said:

"At last there is evidence that life is returning to the UK’s labour market. After several months of uncertainty it seems that firms are becoming more confident about their future hiring intentions."

"Although if previous recessions are anything to go by we would expect unemployment to continue to rise even after the economy returns to growth, this report shows positive signs that unemployment will not be as high as people at the beginning of the year predicted."

Jobs Outlook is based on a monthly sample survey of 600 employers undertaken by an independent market research company on behalf of the REC. It is designed to complement the REC’s Report on Jobs published in conjunction with KPMG, which tracks the actual number of placements on a monthly basis. 

Roger Tweedy concluded: "Whilst the labour market is still very fragile, the feedback from recruiters on the frontline of the labour market suggests that it is becoming easier to place jobseekers into work. As the labour market becomes more fluid once more this in turn will create more vacancies".