HR professionals staying put
The London job market has changed over the past 12 months; a year ago the largest requirement for HR professionals came from the public sector where as now the private sector is driving demand forward. This time last year, there was a large number of professionals on the market, but those who were not compelled to move generally stayed in their roles.
Growing confidence in HR opportunities
Now we're seeing confidence return, and even the most experienced and secure professionals are looking to move jobs again. Those candidates that have been out of work for a long period of time are now being more flexible with their expectations and there has also been an increase in the number of public sector HR professionals expressing interest in working in the private sector due to an increase in job insecurity.
Post-recession restructuring
The recession forced many companies to make significant changes, which drove the need for redundancy and TUPE specialists in London. As things begin to improve, there's a large requirement for change management, restructuring and organisational development professionals, particularly within public sector organisations as they prepare for imminent budget cuts.
On the temporary side of recruitment, there's now more demand for training staff and reward professionals within commerce. In addition, generalists are sought after by the banking and financial services sector as this market continues to strengthen.
Training what remains
The need for training was heightened during the recession due to reduced workforces and it created a demand for learning and development professionals as the training was essential to help fill skill gaps within remaining personnel. As the market picks up, many businesses have re-evaluated their workforce and have found shortfalls in certain key areas, which also need to be addressed with further training and development.
HR still recruiting with caution in London
With regards to salaries, permanent remuneration packages have held for valued staff as businesses look to retain them and interim salaries have remained static. Many employers are turning to interim professionals to fill gaps as recruitment freezes are lifted or as a cautious measure while they see if the upturn gains strength. However, the number of HR professionals looking for jobs has also increased and there's still a lot of competition for roles.
Why work in London?
Working in London, the UK’s capital city, is exciting and fast-paced. The city is home to one of the world’s largest financial centres as well as most of the UK and Europe’s leading companies. London itself has one of the most diverse communities, with over 300 different languages being spoken within the capital alone. The city also hosts some of the world’s best attractions such as museums, art galleries, theatres, shops and restaurants, not to mention the 2012 Olympics.
For more information and to access current HR jobs, please visit: www.hays.co.uk/hr