The marketing and design industry in the UK is seeing strong signs of renewed confidence, according to the new European Market Eye report from the industry’s specialist recruitment consultancy Aquent.
The survey of marketers as well as advertising, design and digital agencies found that three in five organisations predict a rise in permanent staff. The number of organisations increasing salaries looks set to double throughout the remainder of 2010, with 32% expecting pay rises over the next six months compared to just 16% over the last half year.
The digital sector seems to be leading the way in this recovery, with 45% of digital agencies expecting to boost salaries. Almost two thirds (60%)of organisations reported an increase in permanent staff, and a massive 80% are predicting a further rise in employees, indicating a very strong first half year performance in the sector..
Elsewhere in Europe, France too is experiencing a steady recovery with 38% of companies expecting salaries to rise, compared to just 29% reporting a rise over the last six months. Two thirds of French companies are also expecting to recruit permanent staff. And it is not just the UK which is seeing the boom in the digital sector, 73% of French digital agencies expecting to see a rise in staff too. Recovery in the Netherlands appears to be slower with firms showing more caution. Only a fifth of Dutch companies are expecting a rise in salaries, with 35% expecting an increase in permanent staff numbers.
“The UK marketing and design sector was hit hard by the global downturn and after 18 months of little hiring across the industry, we’re certainly now seeing signs of recovery and the market hotting up” comments Peter Geary, Aquent’s UK Regional Director. “It is especially interesting to see the boom in recruitment for the digital sector as web 2.0 becomes an increasingly important tool for businesses looking for new ways to engage with their customers. It is very reassuring to see these measurable signs of confidence returning and companies beginning to plan for the future again.”