Professional recruitment firms in the UK reported that overall vacancy numbers for contract roles fell by 9% in November 2017, while demand for permanent professionals increased by 0.4%, year-on-year, according to new survey data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies.

APSCo’s data, which focuses on professional recruitment, reported that demand for contractors decreased across every one of the trade association’s core sector groups. For example, vacancies within engineering, fell by 2%, while demand within IT (-9%), finance (-9%) and marketing (-24%) also fell.

While new openings for permanent roles increased by 0.4% percent in November 2017, the number of professionals placed that month increased by 7% year-on-year. APSCo stated that the increase can be attributed to the finance and engineering sectors (where placements increased by 19% and 6%, respectively).

Adam Pode, Director of International Research and Analysis, Staffing Industry Analysts commented on APSCo’s figures, “Faced with a very uncertain world next year, companies are trying to ensure they have the talent they need by concentrating on permanent placement.”

Ann Swain, Chief Executive of APSCo, also commented, “This time last year, we reported that permanent vacancies were flat-lining amid uncertainty around Brexit. However, today it seems that employers are more concerned about an exodus of talent than a demise in demand, as was previously feared. As a result, businesses are moving away from the contingent workers that they leaned on in times of greater uncertainty and locking in the talent they need to thrive in 2018.”

The overall number of contractors out on assignment, meanwhile, fell by 11% during the same period. APSCo added that the decrease can largely be attributed to a 33% year-on-year fall in IT professionals working on a contract basis during this time.

Despite this overall dip, the number of contractors out on assignment within engineering and finance increased year-on-year in November 2017 (by 9% and 2%, respectively).

APSCo’s figures also reported that median salaries across all professional sectors saw a decline of 0.9% year-on-year. This figure is characterised by notable fluctuations in terms of sector, with financial services and engineering, for example, recording uplifts of 3.4% and 1.5%, respectively.