Staff in London are showing higher levels of optimism about the New Deal for Working People than any other region. That’s according to the latest Robert Half Jobs Confidence Index (JCI) – an economic confidence tracker produced in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).

According to the data, half (50%) of Londoners believe the Deal will have a positive impact on their daily lives – above the national average of 40%. Of the outlined proposals, access to day-one rights was reported by workers in the capital as most likely to positively impact them, cited by 33%. Removing discriminatory age bands ranked second (28%), with intentions to strengthen statutory sick pay and banning unpaid internships in joint third (25%).

However, the study also revealed that workers are unsure if they already have access to some of these rights. Almost a third (29%) weren’t sure if internships in the current business were paid at least minimum wage, while 25% didn’t know if their firm adopts the practice of changing wages based on age. A further 19% were not aware of the protections currently afforded to them from their first day of employment, such as access to parental leave and sick pay, or unfair dismissal rights.

Chris Lawton, Vice President of Permanent Placements UK & Ireland at Robert Half commented:

“There’s a clear sentiment in the capital that the New Deal for Working People is expected to result in positive changes for the workforce. This holds the potential to create a healthy movement within the London jobs market, when people feel secure in their worker rights with a new employer.

“Nonetheless, the changes planned by the Government will have financial and resource implications for firms, especially SMEs. If there is hesitancy in firms’ commitment to the new regulations, this could slow hiring as firms unpack what the practical implications of these regulations are, especially for permanent hiring. This could slow the already tight hiring market if firms hold back much needed investment in people, regardless of the optimism displayed by London workers. Business owners and recruitment firms need more details alongside collaboration with the government on the implementation of the New Deal to make this a success for both workers and employers.”