The ONS employment figures issued on 15th December 2005

Comments from Alan Townsend, MD for Monster UK & Ireland, on the ONS employment figures which were issued on 15th December 2005. If you would like to speak to Alan today, please contact Abigail Holdaway on 020 7067 0529.

ìFigures released by the ONS today for November show that the UK employment rate has fallen to 74.7 per cent, down 0.1 point from the previous quarter. The UK unemployment rate was 4.9 per cent, up 0.2 points from the previous quarter,î comments Alan Townsend, MD for Monster UK & Ireland.

ìThe Monster Employment Index UK figures, released yesterday, show online recruitment activity dipped slightly in November. However, the online hiring environment remains positive, and the Monster Employment Index UK is at a much stronger level than the beginning of the year.

Seasonal factors are clearly affecting job demand in certain industries. Online recruitment activity for service and shop workers showed significant growth, as retailers continue to hire extra staff to cover the busy run up to Christmas. Weíre seeing that in sectors such as retail, businesses are actively ramping up their staffing efforts for the holiday and post-Christmas sales season, despite fears that consumers are reducing spending this year. The Index showed the strongest growth in online demand for installation, maintenance and repair workers, as the UK anticipates one of the coldest winters on record for a decade.î