Arras People present white paper on market conditions

Arras People the project management recruitment people from Heywood have released their fourth PPM Insider white paper concerning insights into the project and programme management recruitment market in the UK.

Citing the impacts of both the Easter and Royal wedding holidays, the latest edition of PPM Insider can point to a variety of new tidbits and stunning realisations about the market at large during Quarter 2 (April-June 2011). Project management personnel are still apprehensive about changing employer despite the impacts of inflation and low pay increases. Concerns about negative media and the real nature of the recovery are considerable in the lack of candidate churn.

PPM Insider also reviews public versus private sector remuneration, dispelling (however temporarily) the long-held view that within the private sector sat greater worker pay and benefits. Using data from both the ONS and Policy Exchange, Arras People concluded: “There is a building pent up pressure for wage rises in the private sector to catch up after the sacrifices many have made over the last couple of years.”

The paper also notes that candidates have increasingly refused job offers in recent months, as the “right role” seems to have become a larger factor for the job seeker’s search than we have seen since the onset of the downturn. Whilst this benefits candidate choice and opportunity, employers might feel some heat on their recruitment potential.

“This, linked with the lack of candidate churn, may well lead to increased recruitment costs and extended recruitment cycles for many potential employers,” PPM Insider reveals.

Managing Director John Thorpe, who collates the report, observed: “The lack of churn in the market caused by ongoing fears and insecurity amongst candidates will have a significant impact on companies ability to fill open vacancies with appropriate talent over the coming months. Whilst there may be job seekers, this does not always equate to suitable talent. As such companies will have to review again how they can tempt people to change organisation and which channels will help them identify suitable talent in the programme and project management domain”.

The PPM Insider is a quarterly publication produced by Arras People the UK Specialists in Project & Programme Management Recruitment Services. The report features original data which has been collected and compiled by Arras People in order to produce the most up-to date picture of the UK’s PPM sector including salary and day rate data.

Copies of the report are available on subscription from Arras People. Those interested in receiving the quarterly paper should get in touch with Arras People via email at PPMI@arraspeople.co.uk.