The Dutch staffing industry’s start to the year wasn’t as strong as previously thought, following the Dutch Federation of Employment Agencies’ (ABU) announcement that the number of hours worked and sales during the period were overstated.

During the first four weeks of 2015 (5 – 30 Jan/period one) the number of hours worked increased by 8% compared with the same period last year, not by 11% as previously reported.

Similarly, sales during the period were 8% higher than last year, not 11%.

Each year ABU breaks the year into 13 four-week periods and provides sales and revenue information across three sectors. The correction impacts the number of hours worked and sales for each sector.

• The number of hours worked in the administrative sector rose by 3% during the period, with sales up by 6%. (Not by 5% and 7%, respectively, as previously stated).
• In the industrial sector the number of hours increased by 7%, with sales growth of 6%. (Not by 11% and 10%, respectively, as previously stated).
• The strongest growth was reported by the technical sectors, with 22% more hours worked and a 19% increase in sales. (Not by 25% and 21%, respectively, as previously stated).

Every four weeks, ABU members deliver their turnover and working hours to research firm, TNS-NIPO who, in turn, produce the ABU-Marktmonitor. It is claimed that the monitor contains more than 60% of the total staffing industry in the Netherlands.