Recruitment companies key to economic progress

Private employment services provide a bridge to social and economic progress, according to a new report released today by Ciett, the global confederation of private employment agencies.

The research entitled 'Adapting to change' - produced in association with the Boston Consulting Group - examines the positive role that recruitment agencies across Europe and the rest of the world can play in facilitating adaptation to seasonal, structural and cyclical changes in national labour markets.

Uncertainty in the global labour market due to tough economic conditions and demographic shifts has led many companies to turn to the expertise of recruitment companies to manage their fluctuating staff needs.

Commenting on the research, Fred Van Haasteren, Ciett President said:

"The report demonstrates that private employment services create jobs that would not otherwise exist: three-quarters of user organisations do not consider hiring permanent workers as an alternative to agency work. In fact, private employment services reduce structural unemployment - by creating more work opportunities for more people - as well as frictional unemployment by ensuring a better and faster match between supply and demand of work".

"As an industry we pledge to work in partnership with all relevant stakeholders to improve the governance and quality standards of the industry across the world and to become an active career agent for workers."

The report, "Adapting to Change: How private employment services facilitate adaptation to change, better labour markets and decent work" is based on research commissioned by Ciett and Eurociett and conducted with the support and assistance of The Boston Consulting Group. For more information on the report go to www.ciett.org.