of hiring managers plan to recruit over the next 6 months.
of professionals in the UK plan on actively looking for a new job in the next 6 months.
of employers have lost out on hiring new talent in the last 6 months as they can’t compete on salary and benefits.
To succeed in the UK talent market in 2024 and beyond, companies must prioritise their talent strategies amid economic, political, regulatory, and digital transformation pressures.
- Victoria WalmsleyManaging Director, Morgan McKinley UK
This is your opportunity to Go Beyond all expectations.
How can you be successful in the evolving talent landscape?
The top 5 hiring challenges companies will face in 2024.
of organisations in the UK found hiring ‘Very’ or ‘Quite’ competitive in 2024. The main barriers for recruitment in 2025 are…
- Lack of skilled candidates available
- No budget to hire
- Pay and benefits not competitive enough
- Volatile market
- Not offering flexible working options
What do people want? Key benefits to offer…
Employees in the UK are not very satisfied with the benefits they receive, with 59% being ‘neutral’, ‘dissatisfied’ or ‘highly dissatisfied’ with their packages.
Offering strong benefits, both financial and non-financial, increases your chance of attracting and retaining top talent.
- Work from home
- Bonus
- Pension (above statutory requirements)
- Health insurance
- Flexible working hours: Flexi-start, flexi-finish
Top 5 most desired benefits:
Flexibility is still high on the agenda.
Flexibility around working patterns remains a prominent request, yet 45% of organisations are asking staff to be in the office for more than 3 days a week.
Giving freedom around where and when your people do their work gives your attraction and retention a boost.
Employees’ preferences for ‘in office’ days per week:
9%
1 or 2 days
45%
3 or 4 days
45%
5 days
Up, down or flat? The state of salaries.
There were no significant salary increases in 2024 - with fewer vacancies, the power shifted. However, employers should be careful to not under offer as they will likely miss out on the top talent that understands their value.
50%
of organisations kept their salary bandings level over the second half of 2024.
63%
of employers plan to increase salary offers in 2025 for certain, hard-to-fill roles.
40%
of professionals are optimistic that they will receive an increase in 2025.
2025 UK salary guide.
Explore salaries to find out how much you should be paying your employees or how much you could be earning this year.
Compare salaries
Download your Salary Guide for 2025.
Salary data, insights and advice to guide your talent strategies. Benchmark what you are paying your teams against the industry averages for roles in your location.
A full range of Talent Services...
Whether you need new people to scale up your teams, or you’re looking for specific skills to help your business react fast, our full range of talent services will deliver. We Go Beyond to find you the right people.
Advice for successful hiring.
Pay and Perks: Your Winning Talent Strategy
43% of businesses outlined ‘Can’t compete on pay and benefits’ as the main reason they have lost out on hiring new talent in the last 6 months.
5 reasons why hiring processes are putting off top talent
In the complex world of hiring, finding the right balance often feels like a juggling act.
Recruitment process: How to make better hires in 7 steps
In a tough hiring climate, it is important that your recruitment process is as good as it can possibly be if you are going to hire the most talented people.
