The wider hiring picture is turning a corner. Permanent placements have finally stabilised, ending a decline that had run for 45 months since Liz Truss's premiership, while temporary billings rose for a fourth consecutive month REC / KPMG Report on Jobs (S&P Global). For depot and warehouse employers, that mix matters: temporary cover is still doing the heavy lifting, but the floor under permanent roles has stopped falling.
Set that against a cautious backdrop. The labour market is currently described as 'low hire, low fire', with weaker recruitment but only slight increases in redundancies, and vacancies have dropped below pre-pandemic levels Low Pay Commission Report 2025, GOV.UK. In plain terms, fewer roles are open, people are staying put, and the employers who do hire are being deliberate about it.
So why read depot vacancies at all? Because they are a fast-moving, front-line signal. When a depot stops advertising rolling agency shifts and starts posting permanent contracts, it is telling you volumes are steady enough to commit to a fixed headcount.
The shift tracks the national numbers. With temporary billings up for a fourth straight month and permanent placements stabilising REC / KPMG Report on Jobs (S&P Global), many depots are using agency work as a bridge: cover the peak now, then convert the reliable people into permanent staff once demand holds.
Live depot roles, from warehouse operatives and pickers to shift supervisors and transport planners, tend to appear first as flexible shifts and then firm up into contracts. In a 'low hire, low fire' market where vacancies sit below pre-pandemic levels Low Pay Commission Report 2025, GOV.UK, every permanent post advertised is a considered decision rather than a reflex. That makes depot postings a useful early read on where logistics confidence is returning.
The direction of travel is worth watching closely, with the sector tracked month by month KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs June 2026. For employers, the question is no longer whether temp-to-perm is happening, but how to do it well.
Start by treating agency shifts as a talent pipeline, not just cover. The people already working your docks and racking know your systems, your safety routines and your pace. Converting a proven temporary worker into a permanent hire removes most of the guesswork, and it fits a market where permanent placements have only just stabilised after a long decline REC / KPMG Report on Jobs (S&P Global).
Move quickly once you decide. In a 'low hire, low fire' market, good depot workers are not sitting idle for long, and vacancies below pre-pandemic levels mean the strongest people have options Low Pay Commission Report 2025, GOV.UK. A clear job description, a realistic shift pattern and a short, respectful interview process all help you win the people you want.
Done well, agency-to-permanent hiring gives you a settled core team, lower turnover and a depot that runs on people who already know the job.
When you are ready to convert that pipeline into permanent hires, we help you move fast. We search a database of 15 million candidates to find the right depot and warehouse people, rank a shortlist in under 30 seconds, and contact matched people in under one minute. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost, through Reed.ai.
If your depot is ready to turn steady demand into a permanent team, tell us the role and let us surface your shortlist today.
