Demand for temporary workers in Scotland is continuing to grow, according to new figures.
Bank of Scotland's Labour Market Report showed that billings for temporary and contract staff in April rose by their biggest margin in more than four years.
The firm also reported that increased demand for temporary workers was widespread among a number of different of sectors, including medicine, engineering and clerical work.
Tim Crawford, group economist at Bank of Scotland, attributed the increase to companies trying to meet greater workloads.
He added: "Although there was some evidence that skill shortages were less widespread than earlier in the year, the Scottish labour market remains tight and many employers are offering higher salaries to attract suitably qualified staff."
According to a recent survey by Robert Half Finance and Accounting, more than a quarter of UK firms are planning to recruit more finance workers during the next six months.
Almost a quarter of respondents said they need extra people to cope with bigger workloads.