Career confidence highest amongst Scottish employees

Workers across Scotland are more confident in their career prospects than the rest of the UK, and this optimism is driving up pay rise expectations. That’s according to the latest Robert Half Jobs Confidence Index (JCI) – an economic confidence tracker produced in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).


According to the data, 69% of Scottish workers are confident in their job prospects over the next six months, above the national average of 60% and the highest level recorded across the UK. A similar trend was noted in longer-term prospects, with 61% of staff across Scotland indicating that they are confident in their career potential and ability to progress in their job in the next five years.

However, this is driving up pay confidence, with workers across the country expecting an average 5.2% pay rise in the next year. This figure stands significantly higher than the national average of 3.8% and makes Scotland’s pay inflation expectations second only to London where a 5.6% pay increase is anticipated.



Reggie McMahon, Branch Director, Scotland, at Robert Half, commented:



“Business growth prospects across Scotland are high, largely driven by fast-growth sectors such as renewables and technology. This is arguably one of the core drivers of the high level of confidence being seen in the labour market compared to the rest of the UK. However, it’s no secret that some of our largest sectors are also those that are facing significant skills shortages. When we combine this with the high confidence levels in the workforce, it’s perhaps no surprise that Scottish staff are looking for greater pay rises than the majority of the UK.



“For firms across the country, though, salary increases on this scale aren’t going to be feasible, particularly for the large number of SME businesses that underpin our economy. To combat this scenario, a more robust talent attraction package that showcases more than just pay prospects is required. Offering additional perks and benefits packages or clear training options, for example, will appeal to new recruits and existing staff. Those employers that strike the right balance will be best placed to hire core skills in the months ahead.”



Ends



Press contact

Vickie Collinge

vickie@bluesky-pr.com

01582 790705



About the research



In partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research, the quarterly Robert Half Jobs Confidence Index is the most authoritative report on the key socio-economic factors influencing confidence in the UK labour market.



The Jobs Confidence Index (JCI) is made up of four equally weighted pillars, each measuring a factor which contributes to jobs confidence. These are:

1.Job security confidence

2.Pay confidence

3.Job search and progression confidence

4.Macroeconomic confidence



The JCI takes a positive or negative number, where numbers above zero signal that jobs confidence is higher than the long-term average, and numbers below zero show it is lower. The JCI can take any number, but it usually stands between -30 and 30, showing that confidence is close to a normal level when it is within this range.



About Robert Half



Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) is the world’s first and largest specialised talent solutions and business consulting firm, connecting highly skilled job seekers with rewarding opportunities at great companies. We offer contract talent and permanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support, and we also provide executive search services. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm that delivers internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. In the past 12 months, Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named one of the Fortune® Most Admired Companies™ and 100 Best Companies to Work For and a Forbes Best Employer for Diversity. Explore talent solutions, research and insights at www.roberthalf.com/gb/en.