UK – Businesses optimistic despite harsher conditions in 2017

Employers in the UK remain optimistic despite 76% of them expecting economic conditions to be more challenging in 2017 compared to 2016, according to research from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

The research, which polled 601 employers, also showed that a softening in short-term hiring...

Switzerland – Large increase in job offers in 2017

The latest Michael Page Swiss Job Index showed an increase of 33.6% for job offers for the month of January 2017 when compared to the same period last year. This is the highest recorded increase since the first publication of the index in 2012 and nearly three times higher than the average for the period....

Netherlands – Number of job vacancies up in 2016

The number of job vacancies in the Netherlands for the year 2016 showed an increase of 26.5% compared to 2015, according to a report from Jobfeed, a Big Data tool for vacancies for recruitment technology firm Textkernel.

The report, ‘The online job market in the Netherlands in 2016’, showed that the...

UK – Government announces creation of 200,000 new apprenticeships by 2020 (Telegraph)

The UK Government has announced today that it plans to create 200,000 new apprenticeships by 2020, reports the Telegraph. The plan for the new apprenticeships, announced by Skills Minister Robert Halfon, is an extension of the apprenticeship programme, which saw more than half a million apprentices begin...

UK – Empresaria publishes trading update, 2016 earnings ahead of expectations

UK-based international recruitment firm Empresaria published a trading update for the year ending 31 December 2016 with net fee income up 20% from the previous year.

The group also predicted 2016 profit slightly ahead of market expectations. Empresaria also said it expects adjusted profit before tax growth...

UK – Brothers jailed for trafficking agency workers to supply Sports Direct

Two brothers who recruited staff for UK recruitment firm Transline, which supplied Sports Direct, have been convicted and jailed for six years each under the Modern Slavery Act.

The two brothers, Erwin and Krystian Markowski from Poland, recruited 18 vulnerable men from Poland to work at Sports Direct’s...

Netherlands – ABU reports continued staffing growth

According to the Dutch Federation of Private Employment Agencies (ABU), hours worked by temporary workers increased by 7% and turnover also grew by 7% in period 13 (weeks 49 to 52) compared to the same period last year.

ABU divides the year into four-week periods reported, with the 13th period the most...

UK – REC expels Valley Education Services following complaint from worker

Valley Education Services Ltd (VES) has been expelled from Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) membership for breaching five principles of the REC Code of Professional Practice.

Following a complaint by a worker, the REC undertook a comprehensive investigation including a site visit. VES...

UK – SThree reports full year results, gross profit growth bolstered by Continental Europe

International recruitment firm SThree (STHR: LSE) reported revenue of £959.9 million for the year ending 30 November 2016, an increase of 6% in constant currency compared with £848.8 million for the year ending 30 November 2015.

UK – Hydrogen Group publishes trading update, forecasts return to profitability

UK recruitment firm Hydrogen Group (HYDG: AIM) has published a trading update for the year ending 31 December 2016. 

The Board expects to report net fee income for the year of £17.8 million and a return to profitability generating Profit Before Tax of £0.75 million as a result of the...