Employee benefits news: Recruitment ''rising slowly''

With a small rise in recruitment expected in the UK this year, firms in numerous sectors could be set to review their employee benefits packages.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey for Q3 2010 showed that seven per cent of employers expect to add to their numbers during the next three months.

However, the report was quick to point out that many other organisations are reluctant to follow suit, with 87 per cent predicting no changes in headcounts and five per cent planning a decrease.

Finance and business services are forecasting moderate rises, although executives in manufacturing are expected to adopt a more cautious approach to hiring.

Reviewing the data, Andrew Hawes from manufacturing consultant Newton suggested recruitment freezes are taking a while to thaw.

The director and co-founder of the firm remarked: "A lot of these businesses are going to get themselves into a shape where they can start recruiting, but it is not yet at a point where that has become the focus."

Once organisations have hired new staff, they may wish to look at offering employee benefits to retain talented individuals.

Research by the PricewaterhouseCoopers earlier this year found that flexible working is the most valued benefit among staff in the UK. Back