Demand for GI staff hits record high

Demand for general insurance staff has risen to a record high of 38% from the end of last year, according to the Reed Job Index.

Overall, employer demand for new UK workers slipped back one point in July compared to the previous two months.

Other than general insureance, demand also reached record index highs for charity and voluntary, pre-qualified accountancy and manufacturing staff.

Martin Warnes, managing director of reed.co.uk, said: “Employers are still a little nervous about just how sustainable economic recovery will prove to be, according to the Reed Job Index’s downwards slip in July. At the same time however, some key job sectors bucked the trend, with demand for new staff in these areas rising to their highest level since the Index began.

“The increase in new general insurance jobs seems particularly significant. While it is not surprising that demand from the public sector has fallen again this month given recent announcements, this sign of returning confidence in the UK’s financial services sector bodes well for future economic growth.”

While salaries remain 5% below the December 2009 Index base line figure, the underlying level is stable and just starting to trend upwards to give a national average salary for the Index of £31,909 in July compared to £31,879 in June, Reed Said.

New jobs in London dipped down, to give an index reading of 98. However at the same time job demand has risen in the surrounding South East compared to last month, as well as in North East England, Scotland, the South West and Northern Ireland.