Letters: Don’t point the finger at me
[Re: Inflation deals record blow to UK workers’ living standards, August 16]
The latest statistics from the Office for National Statistics highlight the fact that the UK labour market is constantly reacting to a cocktail of external forces which impacts its balance, creating a headache for employers.
Whilst the statistics show that the number of people in employment over 16 has risen with more full time employees, the net drop in the value of pay we are seeing is less to do with the amount employers are paying than the effect of the soaring cost of living.
The latter is caused by global factors largely beyond the control of employers.
There will be continued skills shortages going forward which employers will have to live with post pandemic, but it is interesting to see that self-employed numbers have increased slightly in recent months.
Employers have been assessing the status of their workforces and where they work. This has been coupled with blending the use of contractors and casuals into their staff numbers to complement full time and part time employees.
Brian Gegg