The latest CECA Workload Trends Survey, for the second quarter of 2020, shows a steep fall in activity, reflecting the COVID-19 lockdown as well as continuing long term challenges for the sector in Scotland.

Headline Results

35% of Scottish firms, on balance, reported a fall in workloads compared with a year ago. 

Order books declined, according to 18% of Scottish firms, on balance. 

Workload expectations for the year ahead were weak in Q2, with a balance of 26% of firms expecting a fall.

Employment fell in Q2 and forward-looking balances were the lowest in a decade. 

Costs increased according to 87% of Scottish firms, on balance.

The GB wide results are equally gloomy with workloads in 8 out of 10 sectors declining, according to 43% of British firms, the lowest balance in nearly 11 years. However, despite employment balances for all types of worker hitting a decade-low in Q2, expectations for the future remain positive.

You can read the results in full below:

CECA (Scotland) 2020 Q2

CECA (Great Britain) 2020 Q2