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Hays is a global recruitment group specialising in professional and skilled employment. It places temporary, contract and permanent workers across sectors including technology, accountancy, engineering, construction and life sciences.
Temporary and permanent recruitment, contract staffing, recruitment process outsourcing and workforce services for professional and technical occupations.
The United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and New Zealand are major markets, alongside operations across Europe and other international regions.
Hiring activity, business confidence, temporary-worker volumes, permanent placements, fee margins, consultant productivity, cost reduction and recovery in major recruitment markets.
Economic downturns, weak hiring confidence, prolonged recruitment recessions, wage and consultant costs, regulatory changes to temporary work, currency movements and loss of experienced recruiters.
27 February 2026: chief executive Dirk Hahn stepped down and Mark Dearnley became interim CEO as difficult hiring markets continued. First-half like-for-like net fees fell 9%, prompting further focus on costs and operational efficiency.
The 2026 interim dividend was cut to 0.15p per share, went ex-dividend on 12 March and was paid on 23 April. Future distributions will depend on profitability, cash generation and recovery in global recruitment markets.
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