On the face of it, Hays’ first-quarter figures from the UK and Ireland to the end of September, representing 27 per cent of the business, are a bit of a shocker. Fee income fell by 10 per cent. Plainly, the sort of employers that use Hays have become very cautious in taking on new staff, in Britain at least.
Fees fell in the private sector, about three quarters of the UK total, by 10 per cent. Public sector was down by 12 per cent. London was down 17 per cent. The company was putting a positive spin on the figures, though. The fall in June, including three weeks before the referendum, was 7 per cent. There are signs that the market was stabilising as