UK – Majority of employers plan to increase or maintain their temporary workforce to plug skills gap

Most UK employers (89%) are planning to increase or maintain their temporary workforce in the next three months, a rise of 9% compared to data from March 2017, according to a survey from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. For the next 4-12 months, the figure was also the same at 89% of UK...

Ireland – Number of unemployed falls to lowest level since 2008

Ireland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 6.8% in the first quarter of 2017, down from 7.1% in the Q4 2016, and the 19th straight quarter where unemployment has declined, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office.

The seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed was...

France – President Emmanuel Macron to hold talks on labour market reform (CTV News)

Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron is holding meetings with unions and business firms to discuss reforming the country's labour market, reports CTV News.  Macron pledged during his presidential campaign that a reform of the labour market would be a top priority in order to boost hiring...

Saudi Arabia – Ministry of Labour cracks down on recruitment agencies (Saudi Gazette)

Labor inspectors conducted 661 visits to several recruitment offices and companies as part of the nationwide campaign between 1 January to 30 April in a bid to make sure that the recruitment agencies comply with the recruitment regulations and rules along with the labor law. According to the Saudi...

Netherlands – Headfirst Source Group reports revenue up after completion of merger

Dutch staffing firm Headfirst Source Group, previously known as the Source Group before its merger with Headfirst, reported revenue for the first three months of 2017 with sales of €123 million, up 156%  from €75 million in the same period last year. This increase is largely due to the merger,...

Switzerland – Michael Page Swiss Job Index shows growth in advertised jobs in May

The Michael Page Swiss Job Index recorded an increase in advertised jobs of 1.1% between April and May 2017. The increase continues an upward trend since January 2017.

Meanwhile, the number of advertised jobs increased by 11% for the period between January to May 2017.

The increase in jobs was driven by...

UK – Deliveroo prepares to fight union over workers’ rights (Reuters)

The International Workers Union of Great Britain begins a legal battle today to secure workers rights such as sick and holiday pay for riders of the food courier firm Deliveroo, reports Reuters. A panel chaired by a judge is expected to hear the case until Thursday and a final decision is expected to...

UK – Matthew Taylor Inquiry set to call for zero-hours contracts employees to be given right to request fixed hours (BBC)

Matthew Taylor’s review of employment law, which includes an inquiry into self-employment and zero-hours contracts, is set to call for employees on zero-hours contracts to be given the right to request a move onto fixed hours, reports the BBC.  Employers would have to seriously take into...

Poland – Revenue jumps 11% for Work Service

Work Service (WSE:WSE) the Polish staffing, RPO, and outsourcing company reported revenue of PLN 655.0 million  (€156.2 million) for the first quarter of 2017 ending 31 March, an increase of 11% compared with the same period last year.

UK – Staffline in talks to takeover NHS Professionals

UK-based staffing and employability organisation Staffline Group has tabled a bid on Friday to take over NHS Professionals, the government-owned agency that supplies doctors and nurses to hospitals across the UK, reports Sky News.

 Staffline is reported to be one of final two bidders for NHS Professionals,...