World – Microsoft offers EU Outlook Access deal to win approval for LinkedIn acquisition

In a bid to win European Union antitrust approval of its $26 billion acquisition of LinkedIn Corp., Microsoft has proposed concessions that would allow rival professional social networks access to its Outlook programs, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Reportedly, Microsoft has offered to allow other professional...

UK – REC calls for Chancellor to support business growth ahead of Autumn Statement

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has called on the Chancellor to provide support for regional economic growth and SMEs ahead of today’s Autumn Statement.

According to a poll of 200 employers included in the REC’s JobsOutlook survey, 25% of employers believe that new funds to support...

UK – Businesses shed non-core job functions due to economic uncertainty

British businesses have been shedding non-core job functions in the past six months due to economic uncertainty and in order to focus on roles that directly drive revenue, according to new research from LinkedIn.

The study, based on a sample of LinkedIn’s 21 million UK members between April and October...

Bulgaria – Outsourcing sector expected to generate 6% of GDP by 2020 (SeeNews)

The outsourcing sector is expected to increase its contribution to Bulgaria’s GDP to 6.2% by 2020, reports SeeNews, with data from the Bulgarian Outsourcing Association.

The sector is expected to generate USD 2.86 billion in sales revenue in 2020. “The companies from the outsourcing sector are beginning...

Germany — Computacenter picks Pontoon as MSP

Computacenter, a Europe-based provider of IT infrastructure services, chose Pontoon as its managed service provider to operate its contingent worker program at its 26 branches in Germany.

The deal was officially announced last week but began on Feb. 1 this year. The contract lasts three years, and Pontoon...

UK — Government eyes sale of majority share in healthcare staffing provider NHS Professionals

UK officials are eyeing the sale of a majority shareholding of NHS Professionals Limited, a state-owned healthcare staffing provider to the National Health Service. Minister of State for Health Philip Dunne outlined the plan in a written statement last week. The new partner would run and control the...

UK — Union wants tax agency to investigate Uber

The GMB union in the UK has called for HM Revenue & Customs, the British agency charged with the collection of taxes, to investigate human cloud firm Uber for wage compliance.

“We have formally requested today that HMRC investigate the dark maze of tax avoidance at Uber,” said GMB Legal Director...

Spain — Posts second-highest percentage of temp workers (elEconomista.es)

Spain had the second-highest percentage of temporary workers in Europe and the world in 2014, elEconomista.es reported on Monday citing data from the International Labour Organisation. Spain was surpassed only by Poland. Original story is online in Spanish.

UK — Chancellor must be mindful of the temporary workforce — Staffing quote of the week

“As our new Chancellor Phillip Hammond prepares to deliver his first Autumn Statement, he must be mindful of recent events and the importance of the UK’s temporary workforce as a catalyst for economic growth,” according to a post by Danbro, a provider of umbrella services to independent contractors....

UK – Universities using zero hours contracts and temp agencies

A series of investigations by the Guardian into the world of so-called ‘precarious work’ has revealed that universities across the UK are using zero-hours contracts and temp agencies to pay university lecturers.

The investigation into the universities showed that it is the richest Russell Group institutions...