This article looks at the labour input actually employed by private fi rms and public organisations. This gives labour demand as the total number of jobs in the economy and the number of hours worked by people in employment. However, at any point in time, part of an employer's needs for labour may remain unmet. Unmet labour demand is presented through statistics on vacancies, and also gives an insight into whether job creation is falling or rising. In addition, the article looks at other issues relating to the demand for labour, namely job separations and reemployment, skills, and the relationship between labour demand and the economic cycle.
Published in web format: 10 February 2009 at 9:30 am