The Swedish staffing industry reported a combined revenue of SEK 5.5 billion (€595.1 million) during the second quarter of 2014, an increase of +5% compared with the same quarter last year, according to the Federation of Swedish Staffing Industries (Bemanningsfӧretagen).

Agency workers accounted for 88% of total industry revenue, while contractor placement accounted to 6%. Outplacement and permanent recruitment each accounted for 3% of total industry revenue.

The largest business sector was the Industrial sector, which accounted for 27% of revenue, followed by the Logistics sector with 18%. The Administration sector accounted for 14% of revenue, followed by healthcare (8%), and IT (7%).

Henrik Bäckstrӧm, Managing Director of Bemanningsfӧretagen, stated: “Every year the staffing industry places 172,000 people into jobs as agency workers, through outplacement, or permanent recruitment. We enable greater industrial competitiveness and more efficient public services.”

“The staffing industry creates effective opportunities for businesses and the public sector to manage its changing needs and quickly adapt to new organisational structures that enable continued, strong competitiveness. The [staffing industry] creates real jobs and combats the black market for labour. The staffing industry is also a very important means of entry into the labour market for young and foreign workers, among others.”

“In several other countries the industry is much larger than in Sweden and therefore there is greater potential for growth. To develop the industry’s ability to get more people into work and increase competitiveness, we need proper regulation, to rethink the role of employment services, together with introducing people to professions. The industry needs to continue operating in an orderly manner and create real jobs. Additional regulations and restrictions on the industry are a hindrance to competitiveness, job creation, and an efficient labour market,” Mr Bäckstrӧm concluded.