been a slight increase in the number of companies which intend to take on workers in the coming 12 months, which may be good news for those seeking new IT jobs.
The latest Business Confidence Monitor, published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and Grant Thornton, found that companies are less optimistic about the prospect of economic recovery than they were at the end of the second quarter of 2010.
However, the research found that firms reported the smallest annual drop in employee numbers since the first quarter of 2009, while 1.1 per cent now plan to increase their headcounts in the next year.
Michael Izza, chief executive of the ICAEW, commented: 'UK businesses that came through the recession are now facing the challenge of surviving the recovery. They still don't know what the future holds and are uncertain about how the mood of fiscal austerity will impact the economic recovery.'
Last week, Recruitment & Employment Confederation chief executive Kevin Green warned the UK's jobs market could stall if public sector job losses offset the number of positions being created by private enterprises.
The latest Business Confidence Monitor, published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and Grant Thornton, found that companies are less optimistic about the prospect of economic recovery than they were at the end of the second quarter of 2010.
However, the research found that firms reported the smallest annual drop in employee numbers since the first quarter of 2009, while 1.1 per cent now plan to increase their headcounts in the next year.
Michael Izza, chief executive of the ICAEW, commented: 'UK businesses that came through the recession are now facing the challenge of surviving the recovery. They still don't know what the future holds and are uncertain about how the mood of fiscal austerity will impact the economic recovery.'
Last week, Recruitment & Employment Confederation chief executive Kevin Green warned the UK's jobs market could stall if public sector job losses offset the number of positions being created by private enterprises.
