The uptake of full-time employees in the UK has risen by the sharpest rate in 18 months as retail employment inched up 0.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to the same period last year.
The number of outlets rose 2 per cent which was driven entirely by food retailers while the ever-popular Christmas temp retail job saw almost half (42 per cent) of contracts awarded to those under 21.
“Temporary roles are in demand in the sector because many people go from shop floor to top floor in retail, starting out in temporary or part-time positions and ending up in senior management or board level positions,” explained Christina Tolvas-Vincent, Head of Retail Employment at Bond Dickinson.
Helen Dickinson, British Retail Consortium Director General, commented: “There were more people working in retail in December than any other month last year. And it is encouraging to see that again there was an increase in people in full time employment, demonstrating that confidence is rising, and an increase in the number of shops.”
Retail saw a 17 per cent jump in December job postings compared to the same period last year while the rate of growth in new vacancies overtook job applications for the first time in five years, according to a recent report by the Reed Job Index.
