Hays recruitment growth 'ahead of schedule'
RECRUITMENT firm Hays has boosted its firepower by increasing its headcount by 4 per cent, including 220 staff in the UK and Ireland, as it anticipates major growth.
The group, which has operations spanning 33 countries, saw pre-tax profits rise by 12 per cent to £132million in the year to the end of June.
Alistair Cox, chief executive, said: “This is a strong financial performance and we are ahead of schedule in terms of our aspirations broadly to double the group’s operating profits by 2018. Having outperformed during the downturn, we now have the ideal platform to capitalise on the many growth opportunities we see around the world."
This is a strong financial performance and we are ahead of schedule in terms of our aspirations
Headcount at Hays grew four per cent to 5,357 in the period, with the UK and Ireland swelling its offices with 228 extra staff.
The UK and Ireland, the US and continental Europe were strong performers for Hays, though Asia and Australia proved more of a struggle.
Hays, which places workers in areas such as finance, construction and IT, raised its dividend by 5 per cent to 2.63p a share, marking its fi rst increase in dividend since 2008.
The shares rose 2½p to 132p.
