Employers put recruitment plans on hold

UK employers are at their most cautious in terms of recruitment for a decade, according to a survey.

More than eight out of 10 employers intend to keep staffing levels the same until the end of this year, the survey of more than 2,100 employers by Manpower found. Only 7 per cent of firms plan to take on additional staff over the same period, while 8 per cent plan to make cutbacks. Overall hiring plans are at their weakest since the first quarter of 1999.