In the company’s Q1 2023, the start to its financial year, record net fees also came through in Germany and the Rest of World (ROW), respectively at 26% and 16%. In the ROW arena, 10 countries landed record fees: EMEA (excluding Germany) was up 16%, the Americas up 17% and Asia up 15%.

In the UK & Ireland, permanent recruitment fees were up 15% and temporary by 8%. The private sector, up 15%, outperformed the public sector, “with fees flat”, Hays said.

Group consultant headcount was up 2% in the quarter and up 19% year-on-year. “We expect headcount will be broadly flat overall in H1 FY23 as we focus on driving productivity, while selectively investing in attractive structural growth areas,” a Hays statement said.

As of 30 June 2022, Hays had around 13,000 employees in 253 offices in 32 countries.

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