East Anglia Workforce Statistics – A Reality Check for Our Businesses

If you run a business in East Anglia, chances are recruitment feels more complicated than it did a few years ago.

That isn’t down to sentiment or shifting attitudes, it’s the result of clear, structural changes in the local labour market. When we look at the data, a consistent picture emerges. One that has real implications for how our businesses plan, grow and protect continuity.

Here are five workforce statistics that matter right now and what they mean in practical terms.

Together, these East Anglia workforce statistics highlight the pressures and opportunities facing our businesses today.

What the East Anglia workforce statistics tell us right now

1. East Anglia has one of the oldest workforces in the UK

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the East of England has a higher-than-average proportion of workers aged 50 and over. This is not a future risk – it is a current reality.

For many SMEs, long-serving employees hold critical operational knowledge that is rarely documented or easily replaced.

What this means for our businesses:

Succession planning is no longer a leadership-only conversation. It is about identifying where experience sits and how it is transferred before gaps appear.

Source: ONS – Regional Labour Market Statistics

2. There are fewer active job seekers per vacancy than we assume

ONS labour market data continues to show a tight relationship between vacancies and the number of people actively seeking work. Despite recent movement in unemployment figures, the East of England remains a high-employment region.

In practice, many of the people our businesses would want to hire are already in roles.

What this means for our businesses:

Recruitment is increasingly proactive. Waiting for applications limits access to the strongest talent.

Source: ONS – UK Labour Market Overview

3. Hiring timelines are stretching – and pressure builds elsewhere

Employer research from CIPD indicates that hiring confidence has softened and recruitment decisions are taking longer than in previous years. While “time to hire” is not a formal ONS metric, the operational impact is well understood by business owners.

Vacancies are rarely neutral. The workload is absorbed by existing teams and management attention is diverted.

What this means for our businesses:

The cost of a vacancy is not theoretical. It shows up in productivity, decision-making and strain on key people.

Source: CIPD – Labour Market Outlook

4. Salary expectations and budgets are no longer aligned by default

ONS pay data shows that wage growth has slowed from recent highs, while candidate expectations, particularly for experienced hires, have adjusted more slowly.

In East Anglia, where average salaries in several sectors remain below national levels, this gap can stall hiring altogether.

What this means for our businesses:

Successful hiring now depends on realism. Clear benchmarking reduces false starts and prolonged vacancies.

Source: ONS – Earnings and Pay Growth Statistics

5. Strong candidates are rarely active job hunters

While “quiet candidates” is not an official classification, it is a well-established labour market behaviour supported by CIPD and recruitment industry research. Most experienced hires move following a conversation, not a job advert.

They are selective, informed and cautious.

What this means for our businesses:

Access matters more than reach. Relationships outperform volume.

Source: CIPD and UK recruitment industry surveys

What this means for our businesses in East Anglia

None of this suggests crisis, but it does point to a clear shift in how recruitment needs to be approached.

For our businesses, recruitment is no longer a transactional activity. It is a commercial decision that affects continuity, performance and long-term resilience.

Those that plan ahead, understand the local market and engage early are consistently better placed to secure the people they need.

If your business is planning growth, replacement hires or succession over the next 12 months, clarity on the East Anglia labour market will reduce risk and wasted time.

MDR works with local SMEs to bring realism, insight and simplicity to recruitment decisions.