Firstly, there was a growing demand for digital wealth management services, as more consumers sought online investment platforms and robo-advisors. This trend was driven by the convenience and accessibility of digital platforms, as well as the lower fees associated with automated investing.

At the same time, traditional wealth management firms were facing increased competition from new entrants in the market, including fintech startups and online investment platforms. These new players were often able to offer more cost-effective and flexible investment options, appealing to younger investors and those with smaller portfolios.

Another trend was the growing focus on sustainable and responsible investing. Investors were increasingly looking for ways to align their investments with their values and support companies with strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices.

In addition to these trends, the wealth management market in the UK was facing regulatory challenges. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had introduced several new rules and regulations in recent years aimed at improving transparency and consumer protection in the industry. These included requirements for firms to disclose their fees and charges more clearly, as well as increased scrutiny of investment advice and recommendations.

Overall, the UK wealth management market was evolving rapidly, with new players and technologies disrupting traditional models.

Dundee is a city with a diverse economy, with strengths in sectors such as digital media, biomedical sciences, and renewable energy. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), as of September 2021, the unemployment rate in Dundee was 6.7%, which was slightly higher than the national average in the UK.

In recent years, the city has seen significant investment in its waterfront area, including the development of the V&A Dundee museum and new office and residential spaces. This has helped to attract new businesses and create job opportunities in areas such as construction, hospitality, and tourism.

The digital sector is also a significant employer in Dundee, with companies such as Outplay Entertainment and Tag Games contributing to the city's reputation as a hub for video game development. There are also opportunities in the healthcare and education sectors, with the University of Dundee and Ninewells Hospital both major employers in the area.

Overall, the job market in Dundee appears to be relatively diverse, with opportunities available in a range of sectors. However, as with any city, the job market can be influenced by a variety of factors, including changes in the local and national economy, shifts in industry trends, and the impact of global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a recruiter, one of the most common questions I get asked is how to go about asking for a pay rise. It's understandable - we all want to be fairly compensated for the work we do. However, asking for a pay rise can be an uncomfortable conversation, and many people are unsure of how to approach it. In this blog post, I'll be sharing my top tips for asking for a pay rise, based on my experience working with both employers and employees. From doing your research to timing the conversation right, these tips will help you navigate the process with confidence and increase your chances of getting the raise you deserve.

1. Do your research: Research the industry average salary for your position and compare it with your current salary. This will help you understand if you're being paid fairly and give you leverage when negotiating for a pay raise.
2. Show your worth: Highlight your accomplishments and contributions to the company. Show how you have added value to the company and how you have gone above and beyond your job responsibilities.
3. Timing is key: Timing is crucial when asking for a pay raise. Choose a time when your manager is not busy or stressed, and when the company is doing well financially.
4. Be confident and assertive: Approach the conversation with confidence and assertiveness. Make sure you know your worth and are able to articulate your reasons for deserving a pay raise.
5. Be prepared to compromise: Be willing to negotiate and compromise if necessary. You may not get the exact amount you are asking for, but you may be able to negotiate other benefits such as more flexible working hours or additional paid time off.

If you've followed all the steps and you're still unable to secure a pay rise, it may be time to consider other options. Remember, there are many factors that can affect an employer's ability to give you a raise, and it may not always be a reflection of your performance. If you feel undervalued and underpaid, it's important to take action and explore other opportunities. Don't be afraid to start looking for a new role that offers better pay and benefits. Sometimes, a change of environment can be just what you need to take your career to the next level. Whatever you decide to do, remember to stay positive and stay focused on your goals.

As a recruiter, one of the most common questions I get asked is how to go about asking for a pay rise. It's understandable - we all want to be fairly compensated for the work we do. However, asking for a pay rise can be an uncomfortable conversation, and many people are unsure of how to approach it. In this blog post, I'll be sharing my top tips for asking for a pay rise, based on my experience working with both employers and employees. From doing your research to timing the conversation right, these tips will help you navigate the process with confidence and increase your chances of getting the raise you deserve.

1. Do your research: Research the industry average salary for your position and compare it with your current salary. This will help you understand if you're being paid fairly and give you leverage when negotiating for a pay raise.
2. Show your worth: Highlight your accomplishments and contributions to the company. Show how you have added value to the company and how you have gone above and beyond your job responsibilities.
3. Timing is key: Timing is crucial when asking for a pay raise. Choose a time when your manager is not busy or stressed, and when the company is doing well financially.
4. Be confident and assertive: Approach the conversation with confidence and assertiveness. Make sure you know your worth and are able to articulate your reasons for deserving a pay raise.
5. Be prepared to compromise: Be willing to negotiate and compromise if necessary. You may not get the exact amount you are asking for, but you may be able to negotiate other benefits such as more flexible working hours or additional paid time off.

If you've followed all the steps and you're still unable to secure a pay rise, it may be time to consider other options. Remember, there are many factors that can affect an employer's ability to give you a raise, and it may not always be a reflection of your performance. If you feel undervalued and underpaid, it's important to take action and explore other opportunities. Don't be afraid to start looking for a new role that offers better pay and benefits. Sometimes, a change of environment can be just what you need to take your career to the next level. Whatever you decide to do, remember to stay positive and stay focused on your goals.

Conflicts can be very troublesome to handle especially if you are acting as a mediator. Humans do not like handling conflicts or seeing another person getting upset or angry. In the natural world, when a conflict is not taken care of properly, it can escalate, and it is especially troublesome dealing with workplace conflict. In the previous article, there was a conversation on how to handle interactions at work and why we dread it. This article would focus on how managers and HR would be able to handle conversations and make interaction with employees less tricky.

How To Manage Tricky Interactions At Work

One of the most important jobs as a manager is to be able to handle employee interaction and know how to steer it in the right direction. Here are a few pointers to note when handling such an interaction.

• Determine the goal of the interaction: When having conversations with employees, what should be the result is the first thing you should note. Understand why the conversation started in the first place and this will help steer the conversation in the right direction, which is the direction you want it to go.
• Envision the conversation before it happens: Have your conversation planned out in advance but not scripted. You want the conversation to be as natural as possible but at the same time, as prepared as possible. Have notes that prepare you for the conversation and the employee’s reaction. The note should not be exactly what you want to say so as not to seem robotic. You can plan the conversation using the values and the motto you follow.
• Put your emotions in check: Even when you plan for the employee’s emotions does not mean it would most likely play out the way you plan, and you might not be able to control their reaction. However, you can have the composure of calmness, assertiveness and compassion. You are compassionate to their emotions, you are calm by not allowing their emotions to overwhelm you and you are assertive by standing your ground. When you try to be too protective either by fighting, insecurity, static or flattery, you have lost the conversation. Be mature by convincing yourself through past successes that you can achieve your goal.
• Make them feel at home without comfort: Allow them to express their feeling but not feel down or judged by these feelings. Show empathy and not sympathy, and set boundaries where needed. Always have this thought at the back of your mind that whatever reaction they do is not to you, but to the role you occupy.
• Let your final goal be the best case solution: Even when you have planned the result ahead of time, try to show that your employee’s opinions were heard and seen. This is not always possible but always let them know that their side of the discussion matters.
• Make sure they are clear on the conversation: At the end of the meeting, you can always have a recap to make sure they understand your reason for the decisions.
• Replay and readjust: Playback your meeting with your employee and reflect on what was said. Compare it with other meetings and see if you have grown or dwindled. Do not be too hard on yourself as perfection cannot be easily attained. Difficult conversations can usually lead to awkwardness and tension.

Ways To Make Your Conversation More Lively With Better Atmosphere

Follow these steps to properly steer a challenging conversation at that moment

• Set personal feelings aside: If during the conversation you are having strong emotions, suppress these emotions to achieve a better result in the conversation. Avoid speaking about rumours of the employee, their person and their identity as it could feel like an attack rather than a fact. Stick to what you found out, rather than what others told you. Do not shame or blame them but speak compassionately and passionately.
• Have a listening ear and a willing heart: At this point, be a leader and not a boss and listen to your employee carefully and deeply. Understand their reasons for things, and remove any form of assumption. Opening up can usually be difficult for people because they fear the consequences. Let them know that the conversation would be confidential and try to ask deeper questions if necessary but do not go too far. Think of what the problem may be on your side and what the other person thinks the problem is. Try to reconcile these two conflicting problems into one that matches well with your conclusion.
• Show that you understand their feelings: Although, this might sound mechanical, when they are done talking, repeat their problem back to them to make them feel like you are trying to digest what they said and acknowledge how they feel, however, do not be their therapist. For mental health issues, you can offer access to the workplace’s wellness program.
• Have a circumference of tolerance around you: Have a hedge that keeps you calm but also helps you tolerate what they say. Don not be armoured up, or you receive a defensive response. If you are sensing tension in the air, back-track your conversation and slow down. A break would even be suggested if such a break is needed. Control your emotions by breathing deeply, planting your feet on the ground and speaking slowly. Try to give yourself time to think before you respond so that you do not respond with your emotion.
• Mix up the bad with the good: If you are trying to correct an employee, do not just correct them alone but also praise them for an achieved result they have. Start the conversation by stating the strength of such employees to make them feel relaxed and open-minded to hear their criticism constructively. Even after the correction, give them pointers on how they can improve, and show that you support them in whatever way you can.
• Be S.M.A.R.T: This means that let your goals be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. When you want to help them improve their performance, follow this logic and give a realistic example.
• The T.A.L.K technique: This technique was formulated by the Chartered Management Institute to deal with difficult workplace interactions, and the full meaning is

T – Think about steering the conversation differently: When you feel a conversation is difficult, then it is going to be more difficult. However, if you have a positive and constructive mindset that the conversation would lead to growth, then it becomes easy.

A – Always be clear and simple: Do not generalize, rather be specific and use neutral language.

L – Listen to the other person’s conversation and try to understand what they are saying.

K – Keep the conversation on the issue, not the person: Try not to discuss the pon’s overall character but keep it on the performance and behaviour at the workplace.

Workplace conversations are especially hard not because of the environment but because of words that would be exchanged as it is not easy dealing with personal feelings in the workplace. Prepare yourself for difficult conversations but have a state of mind that the conversation would lead to an opportunity for growth and development of both you as a manager and the employee in question.

Conflicts can be very troublesome to handle especially if you are acting as a mediator. Humans do not like handling conflicts or seeing another person getting upset or angry. In the natural world, when a conflict is not taken care of properly, it can escalate, and it is especially troublesome dealing with workplace conflict. In the previous article, there was a conversation on how to handle interactions at work and why we dread it. This article would focus on how managers and HR would be able to handle conversations and make interaction with employees less tricky.

How To Manage Tricky Interactions At Work

One of the most important jobs as a manager is to be able to handle employee interaction and know how to steer it in the right direction. Here are a few pointers to note when handling such an interaction.

• Determine the goal of the interaction: When having conversations with employees, what should be the result is the first thing you should note. Understand why the conversation started in the first place and this will help steer the conversation in the right direction, which is the direction you want it to go.
• Envision the conversation before it happens: Have your conversation planned out in advance but not scripted. You want the conversation to be as natural as possible but at the same time, as prepared as possible. Have notes that prepare you for the conversation and the employee’s reaction. The note should not be exactly what you want to say so as not to seem robotic. You can plan the conversation using the values and the motto you follow.
• Put your emotions in check: Even when you plan for the employee’s emotions does not mean it would most likely play out the way you plan, and you might not be able to control their reaction. However, you can have the composure of calmness, assertiveness and compassion. You are compassionate to their emotions, you are calm by not allowing their emotions to overwhelm you and you are assertive by standing your ground. When you try to be too protective either by fighting, insecurity, static or flattery, you have lost the conversation. Be mature by convincing yourself through past successes that you can achieve your goal.
• Make them feel at home without comfort: Allow them to express their feeling but not feel down or judged by these feelings. Show empathy and not sympathy, and set boundaries where needed. Always have this thought at the back of your mind that whatever reaction they do is not to you, but to the role you occupy.
• Let your final goal be the best case solution: Even when you have planned the result ahead of time, try to show that your employee’s opinions were heard and seen. This is not always possible but always let them know that their side of the discussion matters.
• Make sure they are clear on the conversation: At the end of the meeting, you can always have a recap to make sure they understand your reason for the decisions.
• Replay and readjust: Playback your meeting with your employee and reflect on what was said. Compare it with other meetings and see if you have grown or dwindled. Do not be too hard on yourself as perfection cannot be easily attained. Difficult conversations can usually lead to awkwardness and tension.

Ways To Make Your Conversation More Lively With Better Atmosphere

Follow these steps to properly steer a challenging conversation at that moment

• Set personal feelings aside: If during the conversation you are having strong emotions, suppress these emotions to achieve a better result in the conversation. Avoid speaking about rumours of the employee, their person and their identity as it could feel like an attack rather than a fact. Stick to what you found out, rather than what others told you. Do not shame or blame them but speak compassionately and passionately.
• Have a listening ear and a willing heart: At this point, be a leader and not a boss and listen to your employee carefully and deeply. Understand their reasons for things, and remove any form of assumption. Opening up can usually be difficult for people because they fear the consequences. Let them know that the conversation would be confidential and try to ask deeper questions if necessary but do not go too far. Think of what the problem may be on your side and what the other person thinks the problem is. Try to reconcile these two conflicting problems into one that matches well with your conclusion.
• Show that you understand their feelings: Although, this might sound mechanical, when they are done talking, repeat their problem back to them to make them feel like you are trying to digest what they said and acknowledge how they feel, however, do not be their therapist. For mental health issues, you can offer access to the workplace’s wellness program.
• Have a circumference of tolerance around you: Have a hedge that keeps you calm but also helps you tolerate what they say. Don not be armoured up, or you receive a defensive response. If you are sensing tension in the air, back-track your conversation and slow down. A break would even be suggested if such a break is needed. Control your emotions by breathing deeply, planting your feet on the ground and speaking slowly. Try to give yourself time to think before you respond so that you do not respond with your emotion.
• Mix up the bad with the good: If you are trying to correct an employee, do not just correct them alone but also praise them for an achieved result they have. Start the conversation by stating the strength of such employees to make them feel relaxed and open-minded to hear their criticism constructively. Even after the correction, give them pointers on how they can improve, and show that you support them in whatever way you can.
• Be S.M.A.R.T: This means that let your goals be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. When you want to help them improve their performance, follow this logic and give a realistic example.
• The T.A.L.K technique: This technique was formulated by the Chartered Management Institute to deal with difficult workplace interactions, and the full meaning is

T – Think about steering the conversation differently: When you feel a conversation is difficult, then it is going to be more difficult. However, if you have a positive and constructive mindset that the conversation would lead to growth, then it becomes easy.

A – Always be clear and simple: Do not generalize, rather be specific and use neutral language.

L – Listen to the other person’s conversation and try to understand what they are saying.

K – Keep the conversation on the issue, not the person: Try not to discuss the pon’s overall character but keep it on the performance and behaviour at the workplace.

Workplace conversations are especially hard not because of the environment but because of words that would be exchanged as it is not easy dealing with personal feelings in the workplace. Prepare yourself for difficult conversations but have a state of mind that the conversation would lead to an opportunity for growth and development of both you as a manager and the employee in question.

In the era, where unemployment is the biggest concern for many countries, the UK has finally surpassed the issue and job vacancies have outpaced unemployment. However, inflation is still nibbling at people’s living standards and making it difficult for working people to afford their daily necessities.

For the very first time in record, job vacancies and employment opportunities are higher in number than the number of unemployed people in the UK. It’s a fortunate change in the economy since the unemployment rate fell to the lowest it has been in 50 years- 3.7% only between January and March. The job openings have rocketed to the high of 1.3 million.

However, people continue to face inflation. This is a problem that is expected to intensify due to the rising prices of food and fuel. Wages are not enough to keep up with the ever-rocketing prices. Therefore, despite the cease of unemployment and more job opportunities, the biggest concern is workers with low wages seeing inflation nibble away all their living standards.

However, if we have a peek at the other side of the coin- the figures have shown that there has been a huge surge in the number of people shifting from the circle of economic inactivity. Unemployed people between the ages of sixteen and sixty-four have now sought employment. As more and more people feel obliged to step into the working-class population, the data has observed there is an obvious rise in the employees who are jumping from one job to another quicker than before. The surprising fact is that this quick switching of jobs is not usually driven by dismissal but by resignation.

Despite the total employment rate being the highest it has ever been, it still stays below it's pre-pandemic Statistics. The pandemic had brought a very rooted change in the economy and has very obviously affected job vacancies and employment rates as well. The pandemic started and with it, about half a million people completely disassociated themselves from the economic activity and labor market. This didn’t stop the availability of job vacancies to reach a high of 1.3 million.

If we talk about the numbers, the excluding bonuses and typical wages have risen by 4.2% just in two months- between January and March. This rise has not been able to cope with the even quick rise of the cost of living in the UK. The cost of living is going up and reached 7% in March and is still expected to the intensity with time. What these figures tell us is that when the wages are adjusted to the benefit of rising prices they dropped by 1.2%- marking the biggest downgrade since 2013.

There are however some sectors such as construction and finance still supporting strong bonuses which means that the total pay is growing faster than the rising prices on average.

The Great Resignation: The five priorities business leaders need to consider to retain and attract talent following the pandemic

The pandemic caused many of us to re-evaluate our lives, questioning whether we are really happy. For some, the end of the pandemic has been seen as an opportunity for a fresh start. As a result, over the last 18 months the UK has been experiencing what some economists have dubbed as the ‘Great Resignation’, as thousands of workers have been walking away from their jobs. This is not just a trend isolated to the UK. A Microsoft survey of more than 30,000 global workers showed that 41% of workers are considering quitting or changing professions this year.

During the pandemic there were a number of reasons people were seeking a change such as a shift in priorities, a desire to pursue their ‘dream job’, a change in personal circumstances or even bad working conditions. There were a plethora of reasons workers were deciding to move on.

However, as we exit from the pandemic fog, it is unclear whether people leaving or switching jobs in droves is due to the pandemic-related changes or as a result of an increasingly stabilising economy. This is not the first time this has happened - the same phenomenon occurred in the 2008 Great Recession which saw resignation rates skyrocket as the economy strengthened.

In order for companies to survive the fallout from the pandemic they must prepare for the Great Resignation and look at ways they can attract and retain talent. Below are the top five priorities to consider when planning your employee retention and attraction strategy for 2022.

Culture

Culture is at the core of every successful company. If employees are bought into the company mission and purpose, they are more likely to be loyal. If employees have an enjoyable day-to-day experience where they feel respected and there are opportunities for growth, they are more likely to be happy.

The pandemic has had a real impact on company cultures as teams were forced to work from home. As workers return to the office, it is more important now than ever before to build a strong company culture where people can thrive.

Flexibility

The pandemic has shown that we can all do our jobs just as well from home, therefore more employees will be expecting flexibility where they have choice and autonomy over when, where and how they work. People’s circumstances at home may have changed, therefore by listening and providing workers with flexibility will ensure they feel heard and appreciated.

Perks and benefits

In the UK, the number of open vacancies surpassed one million for the first time ever in August. So how do you stand out in a candidate-driven market? It’s no longer about office ping-pong tables, beer fridges or gym classes. There is a move back towards more traditional practical and emotive perks such as increased annual leave, medical and life insurances, official wellbeing programmes etc. These are the benefits that post-pandemic candidates will value most.

Career development

Many candidates following the pandemic are prioritising the level of training a company provides when it comes to job searching. Research reveals that the top three things considered amongst the younger generation are career advancement opportunities (95%), a manager they can learn from (93%) and professional development and training opportunities (91%).

Job security is considered the number one factor when candidates are looking for a role due to the uncertainty that the pandemic caused. Therefore, employers should increase training and development opportunities to demonstrate their commitment to that candidate and the acknowledgment of their importance to the company. Regular and consistent engagement with employees to map out their targets and provide feedback will be valued and will help employees conceptualise their future within the business.

The team here at Jenson Fisher are always happy to help if you have any questions regarding talent acquisition and retention. Please do get in touch.

Research has shown that the increase in demand for staff to occupy job positions had affected the salary inflation rate in almost 24 years of data collection. Notwithstanding, the occurring unpredictability of job-seeking candidates decreased to the second-fastest rate in the study’s history in July.

The number of available job-seeking candidates has continued to decrease rapidly in July because of post-COVID19 related issues, Brexit issues, and a low unemployment rate. Many sectors' demand for workers increased to its highest rate for more than 23 years due to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and reopening of different sectors. Still, the number of job-seeking candidates available to take up the job decreased at the quickest rate due to the factors mentioned earlier and more.

A rising call to the government and firms to rectify this issue has been made. The IT sector has fallen short of workers, with the hospitality sector not left out of this ravaging issue. Hiring activity has increased across all jobs category, but skills and labour deficiency, which existed before the COVID-19 pandemic, are skyrocketing at a higher rate than expected. This simply implies that most companies and sectors will need to review the benefits and pay packages they offer to new employees at a time they’re struggling to recover financially from the COVID-19 pandemic. This particular depressing issue in the job market right now can potentially slow down the economic recovery process, negatively impacting the UK economy if left unaddressed.

Furthermore, the Brexit issues coupled with the impact of the pandemic have created a significant challenge for all sectors. Before the Brexit, a lot of the UK hospitality workforce was made up of workers from overseas, including the EU. Still, hundreds of thousands of foreign workers have left the UK over the last year, and it is not confident whether they’ll return.

Proffering sustainable solution to this depressing situation that have engulfed the job market and UK economy is of high essence. Government policies and schemes like Kickstart should be encouraged, and an immigration policy that meets the demand of job-seeking candidates outside the UK should be advocated.

Additionally, employers should add juicy incentives and increase starting salaries of new employees; this will go a long way to attract potential job seekers. Starter salaries increase because of the shortage of job-seeking candidates, and skills shortage have been with us for a while now. If drastic actions are not taken, it will keep rising uncontrollably.

As the UK prepares for a loosening of remaining coronavirus restrictions, the outlook on the jobs front is positive: The UK hiring rate is rising strongly, and many sectors are now seeing hiring above pre-pandemic levels, according to LinkedIn data.

Overall UK hiring is up more than 92% year-on-year as of June, and sectors that were previously closed or partly restricted, like retail and travel, are bouncing back. Even compared to 2019 figures, hiring across the country has been strong (up more than 15% in June compared to two years prior).

There are also signs that the jobs market may have changed more permanently due to the pandemic, with the number of remote roles advertised on LinkedIn on the rise across the board.

Remote work has taken root

More than a year after many employers had to rapidly shift their teams to work from home as pandemic restrictions were introduced, remote work seems to have taken root. The number of remote roles advertised on LinkedIn has increased across all sectors in the past year, from software and IT to consumer goods, and even in retail and transport and logistics, industries with relatively few remote roles in 2019.

In many ways, the pandemic accelerated existing moves towards digital technologies and meant many firms adapted to new ways of working. In the wake of this, sectors with a strong technological nature have seen remote roles rise rapidly; for instance, in software and IT, more than one in five (23.1%) roles advertised is now remote, compared to 4.2% in June 2020.

Experts expect the office will continue to play an important role, particularly for teamwork. They see its function post-pandemic to be a place for collaboration where an open-plan working space has real benefits for learning and development, but on the flipside, have seen the value and maintained productivity levels from remote working, so we should be approaching each employee's wellbeing and work preferences with respect moving forward.

Even among those sectors that previously had low levels of remote work, the past year has changed ways of working. Retail, for instance, has seen an increasing move to online sales and the proportional increase in remote roles is among the highest – remote roles in the industry made up 3.9% of job listings as of last month, an eleven-fold increase on those listed in June 2020, when remote roles made up 0.3% of job listings.

Transport and logistics saw a similarly large proportional rise, with more than 5% of roles now listed as remote. Other large increases came in healthcare, education and finance, all sectors where technology has had a rising role; in these three industries, more than one in 10 advertised roles is now remote.

Cause for celebration as hiring surges 

Jobseekers finally have some good news, with LinkedIn’s data showing hiring has increased 7% month-on-month in June — and is now up 92.6% compared to June of last year. This huge year-on-year rise is perhaps unsurprising given the implosion of the hiring market due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions – things could really only get better. However, hiring in the UK is actually exceeding pre-pandemic levels as well, at 15.5% higher than in June 2019. 

Almost all industries are in the midst of a hiring boom, the data suggests, with figures well above both 2019 and 2020 numbers. The hiring rate in construction is up 126.7% on 2020 and 27.4% on 2019; manufacturing is up 109.9% from last year and 5.5% on 2019; and real estate has seen a 119.2% increase from 2020 and is up 15% from 2019. Hiring in recreation and travel, bouncing back from a dismal year in 2020, has surged 337.7% compared to last year and is up a healthy 11.9% on 2019. Retail is also growing, with an 84.9% year-on-year increase in the hiring rate and 19.9% increase from 2019.

All the industries that have seen rising figures were effectively shut down for most of 2020 as the UK was put under multiple national lockdowns. Many have now benefited from government help in order to get back on their feet. Real estate, for instance, got a much-needed boost from a year-long stamp duty holiday, which helped entice buyers and sellers back into the market. The housing boom has also contributed to the rapid recovery of the construction sector, which IHS Markit figures show grew at its fastest rate in 24 years in June. Travel operators have similarly seen demand increase as government rules changed at the end of June to allow people to book holidays in popular destinations.

Only one sector hasn’t yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels, according to LinkedIn’s data: energy and mining. While hiring in the sector is up year-on-year from 2020 (79.1%), it is still 18% lower than the 2019 hiring rate.