Employers 'have been savvy in recession'Many employers were savvy and sophisticated when it came to how they approached the recession, compared to what was seen in the last economic downturn, it has been claimed by one sector commentator.

Adrian Marlowe, chairman of the Association of Recruitment Consultancies, said there are currently a wide number of resources available to help people secure work and these have been there throughout the recession.

“During the last recession the tendency was for people to cut their budgets by laying off staff,” he explained.

Mr Marlowe added that this time round, there has been more of a trend for workers to cut down on their hours, rather than losing their relationship with their employer altogether.

This was a wise step for organisations to have taken, he claimed, adding that it had led to unemployment levels being lower.

His comments come after the Office for National Statistics revealed the employment rate for the three months to January 2010 was 72.2 per cent – 0.3 per cent down on the quarter.

Posted by Ross George