The number of people in paid employment is up. In August 2021, the number of payroll employees in the UK rose by 241,000 to 29.1 million. Most regions are now above pre-pandemic levels of employment.
A good news story but this does create completion for employers who are looking to grow their team and want to find good people who can join them. Its an employees market at the moment and this is causing some employers real problems.
A struggle for employers?
Vacancies grew from June to August 2021 by 35.2%, with the total job vacancies in the UK reaching 1,034,000. This is the first-time vacancies have risen above 1,000,000 since records began in 2001. The largest increase was seen in the accommodation and food service industries, which rose by 75.4%. Employers in those sectors are really struggling to find people to join them.
Employers need to find a way to stand out from the crowd and make joining them the most attractive option. How can they encourage people to join them and secure the individual quickly when they find them?
This will be a matter for employers to consider, but what is clear is that when offers of employment are made it is important that the terms agreed are set out in a contract which must be issued to the employee before their employment starts or at the latest on the first day of their employment.
There are potential financial penalties if employers fail to do this. While completion for people is high, it’s advisable to review and update your contracts so that they are ready to send out as soon as an employment offer is accepted.
How Moore Barlow can help
Our employment team can assist with the preparation of these documents if you would like to have your current contracts reviewed and updated to reflect changes in the way you work and employment law changes.
