Ciett EC Report 2013 Final Web

The
AGENCY
WORK
INDUSTRY
around the
WORLD
Economic Report
2013 Edition
(based on figures available in 2011)

2013 Economic Report / Ciett / 1
Ciett
Tour & Taxis building
Avenue du Port 86c - Box 302
B 1000 - Brussels
info@ciett.org
www.ciett.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
The key facts and figures
The agency work industry in 2012: latest trends
The players
17
Agency work in numbers
23
The profile of agency workers
33
Agency work creates jobs and aids labour market transitions

49
About Ciett
56
Ciett National Federation Members
57
About The Way to Work
58
INTRODUCTION
In 2011, the global agency work industry continued in its recovery from the economic downturn that
started in the USA in 2007, and quickly spread to the rest of the world. The return to growth was witnessed in most countries which report activity of private employment services, however growth was
stronger in some countries than in others and available information from 2012 suggests a downward
trend for the industry in Europe, in line with changes witnessed in GDP.
46 million people worked as agency workers in 2011, equivalent to 12.4 million full time jobs1. In
parallel, global total annual sales revenues amounted to 259 billion2. This report provides information on the latest industry trends witnessed in 2012 as well as a more comprehensive picture of
the agency work industry in 2011 around the world.
Where most markets witnessed growth throughout 2011, the industry in Europe began to decline in the
first quarter of 2012 and continued to decline in Japan. The industry in the United States, the single
largest market for agency work worldwide, continued to see positive growth throughout 2011 and 2012.
Agency work plays - and still has the potential to play further - a valuable role in making labour market
transitions happen: from unemployment to work; from education to work; from job to job; from temporary to permanent jobs; and for specially helping specially selected target groups; within and to the
labour market. Agency work creates jobs that would not otherwise exist, enhancing companies competitiveness and workers employability, thereby promoting a labour market that corresponds better to
people - and companies - needs and aspirations.
4 / Ciett / 2013 Economic Report
In global markets, continuing to deal with the crisis, agencies serve as career agents for workers, showing them
the way to work by immediately identifying job vacancies,
providing training, and aiding their desired labour market
transitions. With the right regulatory framework in place,
private employment services benefit labour markets by
minimising the time lag between economic upturns and job
creation, reducing structural and frictional unemployment
and decreasing the effect of labour market segmentation. In
addition private employment services improve labour market intelligence and can contribute to evidence based policy.
The way to work; a job for every person, a person for
every job is the vision for the global private employment
services industry. It reflects the industrys unique position in building better labour markets and providing work
opportunities and hope to millions of people every day.
1. based on data from 43 countries
AGENCY WORK PENETRATION RATE
1.6
EUROPE
1.8
USA
1.5
JAPAN
46 million individuals employed as
agency workers in 2011, equivalent to 12.4 million

full time workers
140,000
PRIVATE
EMPLOYMENT
AGENCIES
179,000
BRANCHES
259 BILLION
TOTAL ANNUAL
SALES REVENUE
863,000
INTERNAL
STAFF
THE KEY FACTS AND FIGURES (2011)

The players
There are 140,000 private employment agencies3
and 179,000 branches4 worldwide, employing
863,000internal staff
The total annual sales revenues of the top 10 private
employment agencies worldwide accounted for 30%
of the total agency work market
The global total annual sales revenues amounted to
259 billion5
The USA has the largest market share of the industry, with 23% of total annual sales. Japan represents
17% of the global agency work market, followed by
the UK at 11%
Europe is the leading regional entity by total annual
sales revenues, accounting for 41% of global total
annual sales revenues
Agency workers in numbers
12.4 million agency workers in full-time equivalents
were employed by private employment agencies
across the globe6
The agency work penetration rate is 1.5% in Japan,

1.6% in Europe7 and 1.8% in the USA
On average agency workers work around half the
number of hours as full-time permanent employees8
Most agency work assignments are more than one
month long
The profile of agency workers
57% of agency workers in Europe are aged less
than 309
7
7% agency workers have at best finished their
secondary education10
Agency workers are employed in a wide range of
sectors represented most strongly in services and
manufacturing
7. based on data from 29 countries. If Russia is included in calculations, penetration
rate for Europe would be 1.2%
THE AGENCY
WORK INDUSTRY
LATEST TRENDS
2012
THE AGENCY WORK INDUSTRY IN 2012:

LATEST TRENDS
US: trends for agency work

in 2012 are positive
The agency work industry in the US grew
gradually throughout 2011 and continued to
do so in 2012. The industry in the USA was
at its lowest point for during the first six
months of 2009 and has been in recovery
since that time. US staffing companies
employed an average of 2.95 million temporary and contract workers per business
day during the third quarter of 2012, which
represents a 4.3% increase over the third
quarter of 2011.
Source: American Staffing Association 2012
US staffing employment index since 2006

120,00
15,00%
10,00%
110,00
5,00%
100,00
0,00%
90,00
-5,00%
80,00
-10,00%
70,00
-15,00%
60,00
12
20
/2
8/
/1
12
20
01
11
18
6/
8/
/1
/2
ASA Staffing Index (Set at 100 on 6/12/2006)
12
20
01
10
18
6/
8/
/1
12
/2
01
09
18
6/
20
8/
/1
12
/2
00
08
18
6/
20
8/
/1
12
18
/2
00
07
Week-to-Week Change
6/
20
8/
/1
12
/2
00
06
6/
18
20
8/
/1
12
6/
18
/2
00
-20,00%
Europe: Agency work numbers

in Europe fell in 2012
Evolution of number of hours worked by agency workers (year on year)

60.0%
40.0%
20.0%
0.0%
-20.0%
BE
NL
PL
IT
DE
NO
CH
Jul-12
Sep-12
May-12
Jan-12
Mar-12
Nov-11
Jul-11
Sep-11
May-11
Jan-11
Mar-11
Nov-10
Jul-10
Sep-10
May-10
Jan-10
Mar-10
Nov-09
Jul-09
Sep-09
May-09
Jan-09
Mar-09
Nov-08
Jul-08
Sep-08
May-08
Jan-08
FR
Mar-08
-40.0%
Eurociett, the European confederation of

private employment services, has been
tracking the number of hours worked by
agency workers in the region since 2008.
Year on year figures show a decline in the
industry beginning in 2008 and continuing
through to the second quarter of 2010.
The industry was in recovery from the
middle of 2010 until the early months of
2012 when the number of hours worked
in Europe began to decline again. This fall
in hours worked continued throughout
the year. As 2012 progressed, the decline
of the industry in the region gained pace,
however the decline was not as marked as
in 2009.
European Average
Note: The weighted European Average is the year on year change of agency workers in full-time equivalent employment on a daily
basis (except where noted otherwise). The weighted average determined by the surveyed countries share of the European agency work
market in 2010. The countries contributing to the weighted European Average account for 54% of the agency work market in Europe.
Source: Ciett National Federations

LATEST TRENDS
Japan: Agency work

continued to decline in 2012.
Agency work in Japan reached nearly 1.5
million full time equivalent workers in the
4th quarter of 2008. With the economic
crisis and more restrictive regulations on
the use of dispatched (agency) workers,
numbers have fallen to 930 thousand for
the full year of 2011 and below that figure
in the first three quarters of 2012.
Japan: Number of agency workers 000 (FTE)

1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
Q1/2002
Q2/2002
Q3 2002
Q4/2002
Q1/2003
Q2/2003
Q3 2003
Q4/2003
Q1/2004
Q2/2004
Q3 2004
Q4/2004
Q1/2005
Q2/2005
Q3 2005
Q4/2005
Q1/2006
Q2/2006
Q3 2006
Q4/2006
Q1/2007
Q2/2007
Q3 2007
Q4/2007
Q1/2008
Q2/2008
Q3 2008
Q4/2008
Q1/2009
Q2/2009
Q3 2009
Q4/2009
Q1/2010
Q2/2010
Q3 2010
Q4/2010
Q1/2011
Q2/2011
Q3 2011
Q4/2011
Q1/2012
Q2/2012
Q3 2012
Number of agency workers (FTE)
Source: Japan Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications
Europe: Agency work

is a bellweather
of the employment situation.
Evolution of number of hours worked by agency workers in Europe (year on year)

versus average EU 27 unemployment change (year on year)
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
0%
Jul-12
Sep-12
May-12
Jan-12
Mar-12
Nov-11
Jul-11
Sep-11
May-11
Jan-11
Mar-11
Nov-10
Jul-10
Sep-10
May-10
Jan-10
Mar-10
Nov-09
Jul-09
Changes in hours worked (European Average)
Sep-09
May-09
Jan-09
-40%
Mar-09
-40%
Nov-08
-30%
Jul-08
-30%
Sep-08
-20%
May-08
-20%
Jan-08
-10%
Mar-08
-10%
Agency work is a leading coincidental

economic indicator, with changes in the
number of agency workers employed
foreshadowing developments in labour
markets at large. Agency worker jobs are
often the first positions to be lost during
economic decline and conversely are some
of the first jobs to be created in economic
upswings. Latest available data (September 2012) showed EU unemployment levels
rose by +8.9% compared with the same period in 2011. At the same time agency work
posted -9.2% negative growth in hours
worked. Recent months have reported
lower numbers of agency workers, while at
the same time, year on year unemployment
levels have risen.
Y-O-Y Change in unemployment (EU 27)
Source: Ciett national federations, Eurostat

LATEST TRENDS
3000
140000
2500
130000
120000
2000
110000
1500
100000
1000
Total nonfarm employment
Temporary help employment

(temporary agency work)
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
90000
1990
11. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics
150000
1991
Peaks and troughs in temporary help

services (temporary agency work) generally have led those of total nonfarm
employment. Temporary help services
employment reached a local high in
March 1990, three months before nonfarm
employment peaked; both series reached a
trough in May 1991. 11 The BLS seasonally
adjusted data shows high agency work job
growth first detected again in September
2009, six months before nonfarm employment began an upward trend in March
2010 which continued through to 2012.
Employment, seasonally adjusted 000
1990
US: Agency work reacts

to labour market demand
first
Recessions
Source: US Bureau of Labour Statistics
Evolution of number of hours worked by agency workers (year on year) versus

EU 27 GDP growth rate (year on year)
30%
6%
20%
4%
10%
2%
0%
0%
-10%
-2%
-20%
-4%
-30%
-6%
Q1-08 Q2-08 Q3-08 Q4-08 Q1-09 Q2-09 Q3-09 Q4-09 Q1-10 Q2-10 Q3-10 Q4-10 Q1-11 Q2-11 Q3-11 Q4-11 Q1-12 Q2-12 Q3-12
Change in hours worked (European average)
Growth rate of GDP volume
Europe: The use of agency work

mirrors the behaviour of the
economy at large
A direct correlation between variations in
GDP and the level of use of agency work
is well documented. In years of growth,
the supply and demand of agency workers
increase proportionally, and diminish when
the economy falters. As a precise indicator of the economic situation, the evolution
of the agency work industry is therefore
monitored as such, as private employment
agencies are among the first actors to feel
the impact of economic changes. In Q3
of 2012, Europe measured a year on year
decline in hours worked by agency workers
of -8.6%. In the same period the year on
year EU 27 GDP growth was also declined
by -0.4%. These figures show a continuing
pattern between the year on year growth
rate of EU 27 GDP and evolution of the
number of hours worked by agency workers in Europe.
Source: Ciett national federations, Eurostat

LATEST TRENDS
US: Agency work is a coincidental

economic indicator
25%
15%
5%
-5%
-15%
Temporary Help Employment
Gross Domestic Product
Nonfarm Employment
Recessions
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
-25%
1979
12. Source: American Staffing Association, 2012
35%
1978
Data from the United States illustrates

the agency work industrys position as a
leading coincidental economic indicator.
Changes in temporary agency work occur
concurrently with the evolution of GDP and
ahead of movement in the labour market
at large (represented in the chart opposite
as non-farm labour). Agency work jobs are
especially sensitive to the ebbs and flows
of the economy. As the economy contracts,
the number of staffing jobs dramatically
declines. As the economy expands, the
number of staffing jobs quickly rises. This
is especially true when the economy pulls
out of a recession.12
Percentage Change From Previous Year (Annual)
The
PLAYERS
THE PLAYERS
140,000 private employment

agencies are operating around
the world
In 2011 there was 140,000 private employment agencies globally13. The Asia/Pacific
region accounts for 61% of all private
employment agencies (PrEAs). Europe representing 24% of all PrEAs, and with North
America accounting for 11%. China, Japan
and the USA are the top three countries
in terms of number of PrEAs, accounting
collectively for 67% of all agencies worldwide. As recognised by the ILO: Private
employment agencies play an important
role in the functioning of contemporary
labour markets. For the past three decades,
the increasing need to provide workers and
services to a rapidly growing and flexible
labour market has led to the spectacular
development of these agencies.14
13. Based on data from 39 countries
14. Source: ILO Private employment agencies , temporary
agency workers and their contribution to the labour market,
2009
Number of private employment agencies

China
Japan
USA*
UK**
Germany
Poland
Australia
South Africa
Brazil
South Korea
France
Czech Republic
Denmark*
Austria**
Colombia
Norway
Mexico
Hungary*
Canada*
Sweden
Finland
Netherlands***
Netherlands
Slovenia**
Spain
Portugal
Chile
Peru
Belgium
Slovakia**
Romania**
Argentina
Italy
Estonia
Luxembourg**
Lithuania*
Macedonia**
Russia
Greece
56,000
20,000
13,910
11,500
6,472
3,537
3,500
2,685
1,878
1,813
1,500
1,350
1,347
1,200
788
700
700
667
650
500
500
481
431
355
309
265
194
170
142
129
129
82
70
70
41
30
27
20
9
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Source: Ciett national federations 2011 *Source: Ciett national federations 2010 **Ciett national federations 2009 ***ABU members only
represented. Based on figures from 39 countries
20
26
NORTH
AMERICA
51
EUROPE
ASIA
PACIFIC
Over 179,00 branches offer

agency work around the world
Number of PrEA branches

Japan
USA*
UK*
Australia
France
Netherlands
South Africa
Germany
Italy*
South Korea*
Austria
Canada*
Czech Republic
Belgium
Sweden
Hungary**
Norway
Spain
Brazil
Argentina
Slovenia*
Mexico
Peru*
Slovakia*
Romania*
Colombia
Chile*
Estonia
Luxembourg*
Greece
82,681
31,932
17,000
7,500
6,700
5,850
4,827
4,627
2,600
1,983
1,952
1,700
1,650
1,356
1,200
977
900
644
625
510
465
262
214
194
194
180
112
75
73
17
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
Source: Ciett national federations 2011*Source: Ciett national federations 2010

**Source Ciett national federations 2009 Based on figures from 30 countries
In 2011 the total number of PrEA branches was

179,00015. The Asia/Pacific region accounting for
51%, Europe for 26%, and North America for 20%.
Japan, USA and the UK are the top three countries by number of branches, accounting together
for 74% of all branches worldwide.
The global average is 3 physical branches per
PrEA.The branch to PrEA ratio varies greatly
from country to country, from a staggering 37.5
branches per PrEA in Italy to fewer than one
per private employment agency in Germany.
This difference can be explained by the very high
concentration of the Italian agency work market,
characterised by a small number of large companies with an extensive network. This is in contrast
to highly fragmented markets, such as Germany,
characterised by a large number of PrEAs, often
operating from a single local branch (some German companies operate without any branches,
while there is also a number of dormant, non
active agencies influencing this number).
THE PLAYERS
18
863,000 people were employed
as internal staff by agencies
in 2011
863,000 people were employed as internal staff [managers, HR consultants and
back-office people working in branches]
by private employment agencies in 201116.
Europe accounts for 32%, Asia/Pacific for
23%, and North America for 18%. The top
three countries in terms of internal staff
are Japan, Brazil, and the USA, accounting together for 57% of all internal staff
worldwide.
There is a global average of 4 people employed as internal staff per branch, and 10
per private employment agency This illustrates that the agency work industry is still
mostly composed of small and mediumsized companies, despite the presence
of several large multinationals operating
worldwide.
NORTH
AMERICA
32
EUROPE
23
ASIA
PACIFIC
Number of internal staff

USA*
Japan
Brazil
UK
Germany
Netherlands
South Africa
France
Australia
China
Sweden
Ireland**
Italy
South Korea
Belgium
Poland
New Zealand
Czech Republic
Argentina
Romania**
Mexico
Chile
Hungary**
Peru
Finland
Norway
Russia
Slovakia**
Portugal*
Uruguay**
Bulgaria*
Austria*
Slovenia**
Luxembourg*
Greece
Estonia
191,592
155,000
149,279
95,865
60,000
34,000
31,500
20,000
16,200
15,041
15,000
12,950
11,000
9,000
6,400
4,100
4,012
3,800
3,680
3,518
3,159
3,142
2,723
2,560
2,500
2,105
1,500
1,007
750
600
470
400
368
307
200
200
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
Source: Ciett national federations 2011 *Source: Ciett national federations 2010
**Source Ciett 2009 Based on figures from 36 countries
The top 10 PrEAs worldwide

accounted for 30% of global
annual sales revenues in 2011
Top 10 staffing companies in sales revenues 2011 - billion of
25.0
In 2011 the main global players continued their recovery from the economic
crisis. Adecco maintains its position as
the largest staffing company worldwide
while Randstad with its acquisition of SFN
in 2011 stood as the 2nd largest firm with
ManpowerGroup taking its place as the
third largest industry player.
20.1
20.0
16.2
15.8
15.0
10.0
5.9
5.0
4.0
3.7
3.4
3.2
2.4
2.4
0.0
Adecco
Randstad
Manpower
Allegis
Group
Kelly
Services
Hays PLC
Recruit
Staffing
USG
People
Robert
Half
Tempstaff
Source: Staffing Industry Analysts 2012 - www.staffingindustry.com
AGENCY WORK
inNUMBERS
AGENCY WORK IN NUMBERS
24
In 2011, the US and Japan are
global agency work market
leaders by total annual sales
revenues
NORTH
AMERICA
41
EUROPE
25
Percentage of total annual sales revenue in 2011

India <1%
Brazil 4%
Netherlands 4%
Australia 5%
US 23%
In 2011, the global market for agency

work accounted for 259 billion Euros. The
US is the world leader with 23% of global
annual sales. The Japan represents 17%
of the global agency work market. The UK
remains the third largest market worldwide with 11% of global total annual sales
revenues. From a regional perspective
Europe accounts for 41% of global total
annual sales revenues, Asia/Pacific for 25%
and North America for 24%.
Germany 7%
France 8%
Japan 17%
UK 11%
Rest of World 20%

ASIA
PACIFIC
24
NORTH
AMERICA
32
14
EUROPE
ASIA
PACIFIC
Daily average number of agency workers [FTE]

USA 2,800,000
India 1,300,000
UK 1,049,333
Brazil 1,022,900
South Africa 1,003,837
Japan 930,000
Germany 813,000
France 576,080
Colombia 514190
Australia 321,000
Italy 225,000
Netherlands 218,000
Poland 160,852
Mexico 130,727
South Korea 106,601
Canada* 99,000
Belgium 89,941
Spain 87,157
Peru* 85,000
Portugal 80,000
Austria 74,783
Switzerland 73,452
Russia 70,000
Argentina 69,064
Hungary* 68,000
Sweden 65,000
Romania* 50,000
Slovenia* 48,000
Ireland 46,000
Czech Republic 35,000
Finland 31,000
Norway 23,339
Denmark* 21,227
Slovakia* 18,500
Uruguay** 16,237
Macedonia* 12,215
Bulgaria* 8,000
New Zealand 7,570
Greece 5,150
Luxembourg* 4,300
Estonia 3500
Chile 2213
Lithuania 1,779
Latvia 353
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
12.4 million agency workers were

employed daily in 201117
In 2011, the total number of agency
workers worldwide amounted to 12.4
million in full-time equivalents19. Europe
accounts for 32%, North America for
24%, and South America 14%.
The US employs nearly as many agency
workers in full-time equivalents [2.8 million], than the second and third biggest
suppliers of agency workers combined.
India has the second highest number of
agency workers in full-time equivalents
[1.3 million], ahead of the UK [1 million]
. The total number of agency workers in
Europe amounted to 4 million in 2011.
Together, the USA, India, and the UK
account for 42% of all agency workers
assigned worldwide.
18. U
K figures are representative of the 2010/2011 financial
year
19. ibid
Source: Ciett National Federations *Source: Ciett estimate **Based on figures from 43 Countries
On a yearly basis, 46 million

people gain access to work
through agency work
By offering an entry point to the labour
market, agency work encourages increased participation and diversity in the
labour market. In total 46 million people
worked as agency workers in 2011. The
USA employs the largest number of agency
workers with 12.9 million people gaining
employment through agency work each
year, followed by Brazil [12.3 million] and
Japan [2.6 million]. Europe employs 10.4
million people in agency work each year.
Total number of individuals employed as agency workers

USA
Brazil
Japan
Colombia***
France
South Africa
Germany
Mexico
UK
Netherlands
Poland
South Korea
Argentina
Spain
Italy*
Australia
Canada*
Belgium
Peru***
Portugal***
Austria
Russia
Hungary
Switzerland
Romania
Slovenia
Ireland***
Czech Republic
Sweden
Norway
Finland
New Zealand
Denmark***
Slovakia***
Uruguay***
Macedonia
Bulgaria***
Luxembourg***
Greece
Chile
Lithuania
Estonia
Latvia
12900000
12274800
2614882
2262436
2000000
1853238
1660000
1437996
1049333
767145
499024
462443
460425
454152
448000
428000
425000
378730
374000
352000
324414
303665
299200
288309
220000
211200
202400
160000
138800
102046
100000
98500
93399
81400
71442
48000
35200
18920
11055
9598
7717
5500
1553
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000 12,000,000 14,000,000
Source: Ciett national federations 2011, *Ciett national federations 2010, *** Ciett Estimate. Based on figures from 42 countries
Agency work has developed

in differently across regions
Agency work development since 1996
2.5%
2.0%
2.2%
2.1%
2.2%
2.2%
2.1%
2.1%
1.9%
1.9%
1.9%
1.5%
1.5%
1.4%
1.4%
1.2%
2.0%
1.9%
2.2%
1.8% 1.8%
1.8%
1.7%
1.6%
1.5%
1.5%
1.4%
1.4%
1.8%
1.9%
1.6%
1.6%
1.5%
1.5%
1.2%
1.1%
1.1%
1.0%
1.0%
0.9%
0.0%
2.1%
1.6%
1.0%
0.5%
1.9%
1.7%
1.8%
2.1%
0.8%
0.6%
0.5%
1996
US
0.5%
0.5%
1997
1998
Japan
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Europe
Between 1996 and 2011, the agency work

industry developed at a different rate
in the US, Japan and Europe. The early
growth in Japan can be attributed to a
gradual deregulation of the Japanese
labour market, and the subsequent
decline is due partly to the economic
crisis, and partly to stricter regulation on
agency work coming into place. In 1996
the industry was already well developed
in the US and the fluctuations recorded
relate more directly to changes in the
economic environment facing the US.
The industry in Europe evolved over this
time as agency work began be established in a greater number of countries
as time went on. In some, notably France
and the UK, penetration rates hit their
peak around 2000.
Source: Ciett national federations, Ciett estimates.

Note: European average calculated using data from available countries for each given year
8.0%
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
3.0%
2.0%
1.0%
2008
2009
2010
Europe
US
South Korea
South Africa
Peru
New Zealand
Mexico
Japan
Colombia
Chile
Brazil
0.0%
Australia
Most countries which report on the number

of agency workers witnessed a fall in agency work penetration rate in 2009 followed
by a recovery in 2010 and 2011. Significantly this trend does not occur in Japan where
percentage of agency workers in relation
to the total working population has fallen
between from a high of 2.2% in 2008 and a
low of 1.5% in 2011. Insufficient information
was available to provide a comprehensive
picture of the industry in 2012, however
preliminary trends show a small decline for
the industry Europe and Japan but an increase in the United States, which has the
largest total number of full time equivalent
agency workers in the world.
Penetration rate of agency work 2008-2011
Argentina
Penetration rates for agency

work vary across the world
2011
Source: Ciett national federations, ILO KILM total working population (ILO estimate) European average estimates from 29 national federations
Penetration rate is the share of agency workers (FTE) as part of the total working population of a country
Evolution of agency work around the world
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Argentina
0,3%
0,3%
0,2%
0,3%
0,4%
0,4%
0,4%
0,4%
0,4%
0,3%
0,4%
0,4%
Australia
2,8%
2,7%
2,8%
Brazil
0,9%
1,0%
0,9%
1,0%
Canada
2011
1,0%
1,1%
0,6%
Chile
1,3%
0,5%
0,4%
0,4%
0,4%
Colombia
3,3%
2,7%
India
0,3%
Japan
0,8%
1,0%
1,1%
1,2%
1,4%
1,7%
1,9%
2,1%
2,2%
1,8%
1,5%
1,5%
Mexico
0,1%
0,3%
0,3%
New Zealand
0,5%
0,5%
0,4%
0,6%
0,6%
0,3%
0,3%
Peru
0,3%
0,6%
South Africa
2,3%
2,2%
2,1%
3,4%
6,4%
7,1%
7,2%
South Korea
0,2%
0,3%
0,3%
0,3%
0,3%
0,4%
0,4%*
0,5%
USA
2,3%
1,9%
1,8%
2,0%
2,1%
2,2%
2,2%
2,1%
1,9%
1,5%
1,8%
1,9%
Europe
1,5%
1,4%
1,4%
1,5%
1,6%
1,6%
1,8%
1,9%
1,7%
1,4%
1,6%
1,6%
At the global level, agency work

represents 1% of the working
population
The agency work industry around the
world has an average penetration rate of
1%20. Figures relating to the size of the
agency work industry have been available
for an extended period of time in only a
small number of countries. The ability to
collect such data is related to a number
of factors ranging from the lack of legal
recognition of agency work, relative size
of the industry, availability of national
government statistics, and the capacity of
national federations to conducts surveys
on the industry.
20. Compared to the working population of the 38 countries for
which information was available.
Source: Ciett national federations 2011
4.0%
3.5%
3.6%
3.0%
2.6%
2.5%
2.5%
2.2%
2.0% 2.0%
2.0%
1.8%
Average Penetration
in Europe: 1.6%
1.7%
1.5%
1.4%
1.2%
1.0% 1.0%
1.0%
0.9%
0.8%
0.7%
0.6%
0.5%
0.5%
Russia
Greece
Lithuania
Spain
Estonia
Czech Republic
Norway
Macedonia
Italy
Poland
Finland
Sweden
Austria
Switzerland
Belgium
Germany
France
0.1% 0.1% 0.1%

Ireland
0.0%
Netherlands
The average penetration rate for agency

work in Europe is 1.6%. The appropriateness of regulation and degree of economic
development explain the differences in
pace of growth of the agency work industry.
The countries in which the industry is most
developed are also those which have a long
history of using agency workers. The regulatory environment in which agency work
is allowed to be carried out can also have a
significant effect on the penetration rate of
the industry.
Agency work penetration in Europe 2011
UK
Europe: Agency work represents

1.6% of the total working
population
Note: estimate for Russia not used in calculating European Average. If included, penetration rate in 2011 would be 1.2%
Evolution of agency work penetration in Europe

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
UK
2000
0,8%
1,7%
0,3%
2001
0,9%
1,7%
0,4%
2002
0,8%
1,6%
0,4%
2003
1,0%w
1,6%
0,4%
2004
1,2%
1,8%
0,5%
2005
1,2%
1,8%
0,6%
2006
1,5%
2,1%
0,7%
2007
1,6%
2,2%
0,7%
2008
1,6%
2,1%
0,1%
0,7%
0,7%
0,4%
2,5%
0,9%
1,5%
0,3%
0,5%
2,5%
0,9%
1,4%
0,3%
0,4%
2,3%
0,9%
0,8%
1,4%
0,4%
0,5%
2,2%
0,9%
1,0%
1,4%
0,6%
0,6%
2,3%
1,1%
1,3%
1,3%
0,7%
0,7%
2,3%
1,2%
1,4%
1,3%
0,7%
0,7%
2,4%
1,5%
1,4%
1,5%
0,8%
1,1%
2,5%
1,9%
0,2%
1,4%
1,7%
1,0%
1,3%
2,3%
1,9%
0,0%
1,4%
1,7%
0,9%
2,2%
2,3%
0,5%
0,9%
-
2,1%
2,2%
0,5%
0,9%
-
2,1%
2,1%
0,5%
0,9%
-
2,1%
1,9%
0,4%
0,1%
0,9%
-
2,1%
1,9%
0,5%
0,2%
0,9%
-
2,0%
2,2%
0,6%
0,2%
0,9%
-
2,5%
0,4%
2,5%
1,0%
0,2%
0,9%
-
2,4%
0,3%
2,8%
1,0%
0,4%
0,9%
-
1,9%
0,3%
2,9%
1,0%
0,5%
1,6%**
0,3%
0,7%
1,0%
1,0%
3,7%
0,7%
0,9%
1,0%
3,7%
0,6%
0,8%
0,9%
3,7%
0,6%
0,7%
0,9%
3,9%
0,7%
0,7%
1,0%
4,1%
0,7%
0,7%
1,2%
4,2%
0,7%
0,8%
1,5%
4,3%
0,8%
1,3%
1,7%
4,7%
0,6%
0,3%
0,6%
1,3%
1,7%
4,1%
2009
1,4%
1,6%
0,2%
0,7%
0,7%
0,5%*
0,8%
1,7%
1,6%
0,1%
1,2%
0,9%
0,7%
0,2%*
0,2%*
1,9%
0,8%
2,4%
0,8%
0,5%
1,6%**
0,3%
0,1%
0,6%
0,3%
0,4%
1,0%
1,4%
3,7%
2010
1,6%
1,9%
0,3%*
0,7%
0,8%
0,5%
0,9%
2,0%
2,0%
0,1%
1,8%*
1,9%
0,9%
0,3%*
0,2%*
1,9%
0,8%*
2,5%
0,9%
0,7%
1,7%*
0,5%
0,1%
0,8%*
0,5%*
0,5%
1,3%
1,6%
3,0%
2011
1,8%
2,0%
0,7%
0,6%
1,2%
2,2%
2,0%
0,1%
2,5%
1,0%
0,1%*
0,8%
0,9%
1,0%
1,6%
0,1%
0,5%
1,4%
1,7%
3,6%
Europe: Evolution of agency work

penetration
In Europe, the appropriateness of regulation and degree of economic development explain the differences in pace
of growth of the agency work industry.
Recently, countries such as Germany and
Poland have revealed their potential, but
each for very different reasons: Germany
as a heavily-industrialised economy,
slowly freeing itself of very strict regulatory measures, and Poland as a budding
regional leader, rapidly catching up its
Western European counterparts. The
steady growth from 1996 to 2007 halted
abruptly in 2008 and but in 2010 and 2011
a recovery can be witnessed in most
countries. In 2011 the penetration rate
for agency work stood at 1.6%21
Source: Ciett national federations *Source: Ciett estimate **Source: Eurostat (Nace Code 78.2)
The
PROFILE
of AGENCY
WORKERS
THE PROFILE OF AGENCY WORKERS
Gender balance of agency

workers dependent on a number
of factors
From country to country, differences in
gender balance in agency work are determined by the particular socio-economic
fabric and economic history of each country, as well as by the sectors allowed to
use agency work. More services-oriented
markets tend to employ more women, such
as Sweden [60% of women and 57% in the
services sector], whereas markets with a
strong industrial history usually employ
more men, such as Germany [72% of men
and 48% in the manufacturing sector].
Agency worker gender balance
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Male
Russia
Luxembourg
Finland
Japan
Latvia
New Zealand
China
Estonia
UK
Australia
USA
Peru
Poland
Colombia
Chile
Greece
South Africa
Brazil
Norway
Sweden
Romania
Czech Republic
Italy
Netherlands
Lithuania
Spain
Slovenia
Mexico
Slovakia
Belgium
France
Macedonia
Germany
Switzerland
Austria
Argentina
0%
Female
Source: Ciett national federations
58
68
JAPAN
OVER 30
90
US
OVER 30
75
SOUTH
AFRICA
UNDER 30
BRAZIL
UNDER 30
Agency workers are typically

young, but Japan and the USA
have greater number of older
workers
Age of agency workers
100%
90%
Agency workers tend to be older in

Japan, where 58% of agency workers
are over 30 and in the US, where 68% of
agency workers are aged over 30. This
can be explained by the fact that in some
of these countries agency work is culturally accepted as a viable alternative to
permanent employment, while in others
agency work is a kind of work most often
carried out by young people such as in
South Africa, where over 90% of agency
workers are under 30.
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
< 21
21 - 25
26 - 30
31 - 45
Brazil
South Africa
Mexico
Argentina
Colombia
New Zealand
USA
India
Japan
China
0%
> 45
57
Europe: Agency workers tend
to be young
OVER 30
Age of agency workers in Europe
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
< 21
21 - 25
31 - 45
Poland
Estonia
Finland
Italy
Russia
Netherlands
Sweden
Belgium
Latvia
Slovenia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Germany
Romania
Greece
26 - 30
Switzerland
France
Hungary
Spain
Denmark
UK
Macedonia
Luxembourg
0%
Norway
Over-represented in the agency work

sector, when compared to the total active
working population, most European agency
workers are aged below 30. On average,
10% of agency workers are under 21 years
old with 22% are between 21 and 25 years
old. A further 25% are between 25 and 30
years old. This means that on average, 57%
of agency workers are under 30 years old.
Agency work often serves as a first professional experience for first-time entrants
into the labour market, providing them with
a valuable initial experience or serving as
a stepping-stone to permanent employment. Notable exceptions to this trend are
Denmark [70% over 30], and Macedonia
[69% over 30].
43
UNDER 30
> 45
+4.5%
+3.5%
ITALY
FRANCE
The share of agency workers

aged 50+ is increasing
Percentage of agency workers over 50 years old
10.0%
9.3%
9.0%
8.6%
8.0%
8.0%
7.5%
7.0%
6.4%
6.0%
5.8%
6.7%
7.0%
6.9%
6.2%
6.1%
5.6%
5.0%
4.3%
4.0%
3.0%
8.7%
4.7%
3.8%
3.3%
2.5%
2.6%
2.8%
2.0%
1.0%
Agency workers over 50 make up an increasing share of the industry in France

and Italy. Between 2002 and 2011, the
proportion of agency workers aged over
50 has steadily increased from 2.5% to7%
in Italy and from 5.8% to 9.3% in France.
Agency work offers groups such as
migrant workers, women returning
from childcare breaks, disabled and
unemployed people across to the labour
market. In principle, agency work can
help workers develop their skills and experience, thereby offering pathways into
more secure employment.22
22. Source: Eurofound - Temporary Agency Work and Collective Bargaining in the EU | 2009
0.0%
2002
Italy
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
France
Source: Ebitemp, Prisme
Agency workers from target

groups are on the rise in the
Netherlands
The percentage of special target groups among temporary employees

in the Netherlands
35%
31%
Agency work gives outsiders a viable

access to the labour market, thereby
increasing labour market participation and
diversity. Ethnic minorities, older people,
labour incapacitated and the long term
unemployed accounted for 31% of agency
workers in the Netherlands in 2008. This is
up from 27% in 2006. Agency work increases labour market flexibility, whilst providing basic rights and working conditions
to agency workers. Because the agency
remains the workers employer, his rights
are capitalised from one assignment to the
next. Agency work thus integrates outsiders in the labour market, who then benefit
from the same working conditions as those
provided to other agency workers.
30%
27%
25%
20%
18%
14%
15%
13%
12%
10%
5%
2%
3%
1%
2%
0%
Ethnic minorities
2006
Older workers (45+)
Labour incapacitated
Long-term
unemployed
Total (corrected for

overlap)
2008
Source: ABU
France: Disable agency workers

take on a range of positions
Employment of disabled agency workers in France
16% White collar
43% Skilled blue collar
In France, 43% of disabled agency

workers are classified as skilled blue
collar workers, while 7% occupy middle
management positions. 16% are white
collar employees and 34% are unskilled
blue collar workers. Through private
employment agencies, disabled agency
workers are integrated at every level of
companies.
34% Unskilled blue collar
7% Middle management
Source: Prisme 2011
Japan: Many see agency work as

a desirable form of employment
In Japan 41% of agency workers view
agency work as their desired form of work,
while half (50.9%) would prefer to have full
time work. This reflects both agency works
position as a desirable form of flexible work
and a stepping stone into permanent work.
The trends for fixed term work are similar
to those for agency work, while a smaller
percentage of part time workers want to
become a full time worker.
Contract (fixedterm) employee
Agency (Dispatched)
Worker
46.8%
49.2%
41.0%
50.9%
3.5% 0.5%
6.9%
18.8%
78.1%
Part-Time
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
1.2%
1.7% 1.4%
100%
Desire to continue the current employment pattern
Desire to adopt an employment pattern other than full-time work
Desire to become a full-time worker
Unknown
Source: Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Global Survey on Diversified
Types of Employment (2010)
Educational attainment of agency

workers varies across the globe
Educational attainment level of agency workers
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
France
Czech Rebuplic
Brazil
UK
Argentina
Italy
South Africa
USA
Belgium
Peru
Spain
Switzerland
Russia
Netherlands
Completed higher education
South Korea
Mexico
Estonia
Greece
Australia
Sweden
Colombia
China
Norway
0%
On average, 27% of agency workers have

completed higher education. In Sweden
and Australia, more than half of agency
workers have completed higher education. In most countries, the majority of
agency workers have a low to medium
initial education level. On average, 50% of
agency workers worldwide have finished
secondary school, and 23% have not. The
Czech Republic [60%] is the only country
to report the majority of agency workers
having not completed their secondary
education. Agency work can play an important role in helping these low-skilled
workers enter the labour market and
gain valuable experience.
Completed secondary education

Not completed secondary education
Most agency workers are

employed in services
or manufacturing jobs
Agency worker employment by sector

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
Agriculture
Manufacturing
Construction
Services
Public Administration
Other
Poland
Estonia
Finland
Italy
Russia
Netherlands
Sweden
Belgium
Latvia
Slovenia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Germany
Romania
Greece
Switzerland
France
Hungary
Spain
Denmark
UK
Macedonia
0%
Luxembourg
10%
Norway
Reflecting the ongoing mutations of the European economies, the sectoral distribution
of agency work in Europe has seen a recent
trend away from usage in the industrial sector [31% average], towards a growing use in
the services sector [37% average]. Manufacturing remains an important user of agency
work in traditionally industrial economies,
such as Poland [70%] and Czech Republic
[65%]. Mexico [29%], Norway [15%] and Peru
[15%], make important use of agency work
in public administration, as do Peru [43%]
and France [23%] in the construction sector. More than three in four Chilean agency
workers work in the services sector, and
45% of Argentinian agency workers work in
the manufacturing sector. It is important to
not that in some countries a large proportion of agency work is classified as other.
This relates to differing methodology in data
collection compared to other countries.
Agency workers tend to work

fewer hours than full time
permanent workers
1,911
Colombia
Peru
Mexico
South Africa
Germany
Sweden
Brazil
Japan
Russia
Greece
Australia
Italy
Slovakia
Slovenia
Uruguay
Hungary
Chile
Netherlands
Poland
Estonia
Switzerland
Czech Republic
Romania
USA
France
Norway
Spain
Argentina
Belgium
Portugal
Luxembourg
2,091
2,250
1,413
1,477
1,888
1,671
1,625
1,627
1,689
1,560
1,728
1,981
1,400
2,032
1,300
1,693
1,200
1,774
1,135
1,786
1,021
1,664
1,014
1,722
930
1,980
840
2,047
690
1,379
688
686
1,937
1,924
520
1,643
513
1,774
500
437
1,778
424
1,476
415
1,426
400
1,663
337
1,820
335
1,577
289
1,711
222
1,601
124
Agency workers tend to work fewer hours

during one year than a worker with a
full-time, open-ended contract with the
notable exceptions of Colombia, Peru,
Germany and Sweden. From country to
country, the average number of hours
worked by an agency worker compared to
the average number of hours worked by
a permanent full-time employee varies
greatly, from less than 8% in Luxembourg to 141% in Colombia.
500
Average per full-time permanent employee
1,000
1,500
2,000
Average per agency worker
* By an individual during one year

Sources : Ciett National Federations, ILO Kilm 7th edition
Most agency work assignments

are more than 1 month long
In most countries, the average length of
assignment of an agency worker exceeds
one month, and often even exceeds three,
the notable exceptions being France [82%]
and Spain [63%], where more than half of
the assignments are less than one month
long. Only 7% of assignments in Peru and
4% in Sweden last for less than a month.
Average length of temporary agency worker assignments

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Spain
France
Italy
New Zealand
Switzerland
Netherlands
USA
Belgium
Peru
Australia
Brazil
Mexico
Latvia
Czech Republic
Estonia
1-3 months
South Africa
Argentina
Japan
Greece
Finland
Sweden
Colombia
Norway
> 3 months
Germany
UK
Poland
South Korea
0%
< 1 month
Agency workers tend to be

employed in low and medium
skilled jobs
Skill level required for temporary agency work jobs

100%
90%
Most agency work jobs require low or

medium skill levels. Notably however,
38% of agency work jobs in France
and 33% of agency work jobs in New
Zealand require a high degree of skill.
Links can be seen between the level of
skill required for agency worker jobs,
the e
ducational attainment of agency
workers and the sectors in which agency
workers are most often placed.
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Low
Medium
Czech Republic
Argentina
Brazil
Spain
France
Estonia
Australia
Switzerland
Czech Republic
New Zealand
Norway
Sweden
Greece
Netherlands
South Africa
0%
High
US: Filling temporary vacancies is

the most common use
for agency work
In an American Staffing Association poll of
500 businesses that use staffing services, 9
out of 10 said it was important to them that
staffing companies offer flexibility to businesses so that they can keep fully staffed
during busy times. When survey participants were asked specifically why they
use staffing firms to obtain temporary and
contract employees, they cited three main
reasons: To fill in for absent employees
or to fill a vacancy temporarily, to provide
extra support during busy times or seasons
and to staff special short-term projects.1
Source: American Staffing Association
Percentage of businesses with 25+ employees that cite as a main reason
80%
Fill in for absent employees or

temporary vacancies
Provide extra support during
busy times or seasons
72%
Staff special short-term

projects
68%
Help find good permanent

employees
59%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Source: American Staffing Association Client Survey
Agency workers are placed

in companies of all sizes
Size of companies using temporary agency work

100%
90%
Agency workers are placed in companies

of all sizes. In Brazil these organisations
tend to be small, with 61% of user companies having fewer than 50 staff, while in
the Czech Republic the same percentage
of user companies employ more than 500
employees. An IW Consult study23 carried
out in Germany and covering the 2009-2010
period demonstrated that those organisations using agency work recorded revenue
growth a full 5% higher than those who did
not The study highlighted that the ability to
react to increasing demand quickly results
in higher revenue growth and a better
financial performance for user companies.
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
1-9 employees
10-49 employees
50-99 employees
100-499 employees
Czech Republic
Argentina
Brazil
Spain
France
Estonia
Australia
Switzerland
Czech Republic
New Zealand
Norway
Sweden
Greece
Netherlands
South Africa
0%
23. S
ource: IW Consult GmbH study Zeitarbeit in
Deutschland 2011
More than 500 employees
Agency work
CREATES
JOBS
and aids
LABOUR MARKET
TRANSITIONS
AGENCY WORK CREATES JOBS

AND AIDS LABOUR MARKET TRANSITIONS
Two thirds of organisations

would not have created jobs
without access to agency work
Private employment services are an engine
of job creation and help to boost employment by turning available work into jobs.
The sector creates jobs that otherwise
would not exist and is particularly effective
in placing disadvantaged and under-represented groups in society, thereby providing a
way for them to start to access job markets
and join the world of work. Ciett and the
Boston Consulting Group found in their report Adapting to Change24 that 74% of user
organisations would not consider hiring permanent workers as an alternative to taking
on agency workers. In addition, 62% of the
companies would choose internal flexibility
solutions (such as overtime) or not to do the
work if they had no access to agency work,
resulting in a no job creation.
24. Source: Ciett & the Boston Consulting Group, 2011, Adapting to Change
Alternatives to temporary agency work

Conclusions
% of responses (total = 101)
100%
80%
54%
60%
No job
creation
(62%)
No
substitution
(74%)
100%
In 62% of the cases

there would be no job
creation as companies
chose internal flexibility
or not to do the work
8%
40%
74% of companies do
not consider hiring
permanent workers an
alternative to AW
12%
20%
26%
0%
Total
Internal flexibility Not do the work Other external Hire permanent

solution
flexibility solution
workers
Source: Ciett & Boston Consulting Group, Adapting to Change, 2011
Agency work provides a stepping

stone from unemployment
into work
Unemployed before & after agency work

% of agency workers that are officially registered as unemployed before and 12 months after temping
70%
60%
60%
56%
50%
40%
42%
38%
34%
30%
26%
27%
25%
33%
26%
19%
20%
17%
15%
15%
14%
10%
12%
8%
8%
6%
5%
Before
Sweden
Greece
South Africa
Netherlands
Switzerland
Czech Republic
Brazil
Germany
Norway
France
0%
Agency work is successful in bringing

people from unemployment situations into
work. It has proven particularly effective in
doing so in countries as diverse as South
Africa, Germany, Greece and Sweden. In
South Africa 60% of people entering agency
work were previously unemployed, while
after one year of agency work only 8%
returned to unemployment. The agency
work market in Greece is relatively small,
however it has proven very successful in
bringing people into employment, with only
6% of agency workers returning to unemployment following a year as an agency
worker, compared with 34% of people who
were unemployed before accepting their
first assignment.
After

A high percentage of agency

workers remain in employment
after 1 year experience
Employed before & after agency work

% of agency workers that are employed (either with a temp, fixed-term or open-ended contracts) before and 12 months after temping
90%
81%
80%
80%
77%
73%
71%
69%
70%
67%
60%
51%
50%
65%
61%
59%
56%
49%
44%
43%
40%
36%
33%
30%
20%
20%
21%
18%
8%
10%
Sweden
South Africa
Norway
France
Portugal
Norway
Germany
Luxembourg
After
Czech Republic
Before
Belgium
0%
Switzerland
Not only does agency work help move

people from unemployment to work, it also
transitions people into long lasting employment situations. After one year of agency
work assignments most people stay in the
labour market either as agency workers
or in permanent or fixed term contracts.
Some agency workers return to training
or education and a small share return to
unemployment or inactivity. In Portugal, only
9% of agency workers were employed before taking their first assignment while 71%
remained in the labour market following 12
months of assignments. Similarly positive
results can be found in 10 other countries
which report this data.
A closer look at agency worker transitions in France

100%
Permanent
Contract
90%
Fixed term
Contract
80%
70%
Student
60%
Apprenticeship
contract
50%
Agency worker
40%
30%
Unemployed
indmnified
20%
Unemployed nonindemnified
10%
0%
Inactive
Situtaton before agency
work
March 2011
September 2011
March 2012
Other
Source: Prisme, 2012
France: 55% of agency workers

were unemployed or inactive
before their first assignment
By taking a closer look at transitions in
France a clearer image of agency works
transitionary role can be found. Prior to
becoming agency workers, the largest
share of people taking up assignments
were unemployed (42% in total) followed by
students (30%) reflecting the role private
employment services play in finding work for
young people. Six months after beginning as
an agency worker 16% had already moved
on to permanent or fixed term contracts
and after a year that figure jumps to 22%.
A 2012 study25 commissioned by Eurociett
and Uni Europa26 noted that some agency
workers are not looking for direct/permanent
contracts, and this should be stressed in
research on transitions.
25. W
ilke, Maack and Partner: The role of temporary agency
work and labour market transitions in Europe, 2012
26. E
urociett and Uni Europa are EU sectoral social partners
for the temporary agency work sector

India: Agency work provides

workers the opportunity to find
permanent jobs
Though by general practice, an agency work
assignment in India is temporary, a recent
Indian Staffing Federation report found that
most agency workers were in continuous
employment for more than a year. This indicates the ample demand in the market for
short duration employment contracts and the
ability of staffing agencies to successfully tap
this market. This can in turn lead to permanent employment opportunities, with 19% of
agency workers in India knowing peers who
have obtained permanent employment in the
user company they were placed in.
Yes
Do you know of any of

your peers in agency
work being absorbed
into permanent
employment?
81%
19%
0%
Do you feel the

organisation you are
currently assigned
to will absorb you
into permanent
employment?
20%
40%
60%
No
80%
100%
Very likely
68%
24%
7%
Not sure
Unlikely
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Source: Indian Staffing Federation 2012
Bipartite funds for temporary agency work
Training
Austria
AUSTRIA
Pensions
FRANCE
Bipartite funds play a key

role in aiding agency workers
professional and personal
development
ITALY
Social benefits
Belgium
BELGIUM
NETHERLANDS
Health
& Safety
LUXEMBOURG
France
BELGIUM
FRANCE
Compliance
FRANCE
NETHERLANDS
ITALY
Italy
FRANCE
ITALY
NETHERLANDS
NETHERLANDS
ITALY
Luxembourg
NETHERLANDS
SPAIN
LUXEMBOURG
AUSTRIA
BELGIUM
Seven EU countries have established

sectoral agency work bipartite funds:
Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Spain, where
agency workers can have better access to
vocational training to improve their employability or to obtain extra social benefits. In
addition to the bipartite initiatives, collective
labour agreements applicable to temporary
agency workers have devised mechanisms
to foster their transitions.
Netherlands
NETHERLANDS
BELGIUM
FRANCE
Spain
SPAIN
ABOUT CIETT
As the international confederation of private employment services, Ciett is the authoritative voice representing the interests of the agency work industry across the world.
Founded in 1967, Ciett consists of 49 national federations of private employment agencies and nine of
the largest staffing companies worldwide: Adecco, Allegis Group, GI Group, Kelly Services, Kelly Group,
Manpower Group, Randstad, Recruit and USG People.
Its main objective is to help its members conduct their businesses in a legal and regulatory environment that is positive and supportive.
Ciett is divided into six regional organisations: Africa/Near East, Northern Asia, Southern Asia, North
America, South America [CLETT&A], and Europe [Eurociett].
CIETT NATIONAL FEDERATION MEMBERS
Africa / Near East

Morocco | FNETT
South Africa | APSO
Zambia | LEAAZ
Northern Asia
China | CAFST
Japan | JASSA
South Korea | KOSA
Southern Asia
Australia & New Zealand| RCSA
India | ISF
Nepal | Sewedha Sewa*
Singapore | SSA
North America
Canada | ACSESS
Mexico | AMECH
USA | ASA
Europe
Austria | VZA
Belgium | FEDERGON
Bulgaria | BG Staffing
Czech Republic | APPS
Denmark | Dansk Erhverv
Estonia | ESAA
Finland | HPL
France | PRISME
Germany | BAP
Greece | ENEPASE
Hungary | SZTMSZ
Ireland | NRF
Italy | ASSOLAVORO
Latvia | LASA
Lithuania | TEAA
Luxembourg | ULEDI
Macedonia | NFTWAM
Netherlands | ABU
Norway | NHO Service

Poland | Polskie Forum HR
Portugal | APESPE
Romania | ARAMT
Russia | ACHAZ
Slovakia | APAS
Slovenia | ZAZ
Spain | ASEMPLEO
Sweden | Bemanningsfrtagen
Switzerland | Swiss Staffing
Turkey | OIBD
UK | REC
South America
Argentina | FAETT
Brazil | SINDEPRESTEM
Chile | AGEST
Colombia | ACOSET
Per | AETT Per
*Ciett Associate member
ABOUT THE WAY TO WORK

The way to work; a job for every person, a person for every job is the vision for the global private employment services industry. It reflects the industrys unique position in building better labour markets
and providing work opportunities and hope to millions of people every day.
The values of the PrES industry are centred around people, because work is an essential part of life and
identity. These values [listed below] demonstrate the industrys commitment to advancing people and
businesses through work.
Quality: The industry promotes ILO core conventions and decent work and calls for appropriate regulation to be adopted on private employment services. The industry works to raise self regulation and
quality standards and is committed to fighting rogue and untrustworthy providers in order to get rid of
abuses and illegal practices.
Inclusiveness: The industry is committed to engaging in constructive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders governments, trade unions, NGO, academics - to ensure every voice is heard. We are an open
industry, willing to develop an inclusive society by increasing labour market participation and diversity.
Serving: As a professional services industry, we are driven by customer satisfaction, be it companies
or individuals. We are here to support our customers in their diverse needs and expectations, helping
them to adapt to change and to realise their ambitions.
Freedom: We provide more work opportunities for more people, therefore increasing freedom of
choice in the labour market. We give people the freedom to choose when, where and how they work.
CIETTS WAY TO WORK PLEDGES

The private employment services industry
has the collective power to bring about positive change to labour markets and act as a
bridge to social and economic progress. As
such, over the next five years, Cietts members have pledged, on a global scale, to:
Support 280 million people in their job life
Help 75 million young people enter the
labour market
Up-skill 65 million people, giving them
more work choices
Create 18 million more jobs
Serve 13 million companies with the right
talents to succeed
THE WAY TO WORK

A JOB FOR EVERY PERSON, A PERSON FOR EVERY JOB
PEOPLE - QUALITY, FREEDOM, INCLUSIVENESS, SERVING

Support
280
million
people in
their job
life
Help
75
million
young
people
enter the
labour
market
Up-skill
65
million
people,
giving
them
work
choice
Create 18
million
more
jobs
Serve 13
million
companies
with the
right
talents to
succeed
CIETT, THE VOICE OF LABOUR CHOICE
www.inextremis.be
Tour & Taxis building

Avenue du Port 86c - Box 302
B 1000 - Brussels
info@ciett.org
www.ciett.org
@ciett_waytowork

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The

(based on figures available in 2011)

The key facts and figures

The agency work industry in 2012: latest trends

Agency work in numbers

The profile of agency workers

Agency work creates jobs and aids labour market transitions 

Ciett National Federation Members 

About The Way to Work

2013 Economic Report / Ciett / 3

4 / Ciett / 2013 Economic Report

2013 Economic Report / Ciett / 5

AGENCY WORK PENETRATION RATE

46 million individuals employed as

agency workers in 2011, equivalent to 12.4 million

6 / Ciett / 2013 Economic Report

THE KEY FACTS AND FIGURES (2011)

The agency work penetration rate is 1.5% in Japan,

2013 Economic Report / Ciett / 7

8 / Ciett / 2013 Economic Report

2013 Economic Report / Ciett / 9

THE AGENCY WORK INDUSTRY IN 2012:

US: trends for agency work

US staffing employment index since 2006

10 / Ciett / 2013 Economic Report

ASA Staffing Index (Set at 100 on 6/12/2006)

Europe: Agency work numbers

Evolution of number of hours worked by agency workers (year on year)

Eurociett, the European confederation of

2013 Economic Report / Ciett / 11

THE AGENCY WORK INDUSTRY IN 2012:

Japan: Agency work

Japan: Number of agency workers 000 (FTE)

Number of agency workers (FTE)

12 / Ciett / 2013 Economic Report

Europe: Agency work

Evolution of number of hours worked by agency workers in Europe (year on year)

Changes in hours worked (European Average)

Agency work is a leading coincidental

Y-O-Y Change in unemployment (EU 27)

Source: Ciett national federations, Eurostat

2013 Economic Report / Ciett / 13

THE AGENCY WORK INDUSTRY IN 2012:

Total nonfarm employment

Temporary help employment

11. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics

Peaks and troughs in temporary help

Employment, seasonally adjusted 000

US: Agency work reacts

Source: US Bureau of Labour Statistics

14 / Ciett / 2013 Economic Report

Evolution of number of hours worked by agency workers (year on year) versus

Growth rate of GDP volume

Europe: The use of agency work

Source: Ciett national federations, Eurostat

2013 Economic Report / Ciett / 15

THE AGENCY WORK INDUSTRY IN 2012:

US: Agency work is a coincidental

Temporary Help Employment

16 / Ciett / 2013 Economic Report

Gross Domestic Product

12. Source: American Staffing Association, 2012

Data from the United States illustrates

Percentage Change From Previous Year (Annual)

The key facts and figures

The agency work industry in 2012: latest trends

Agency work in numbers

The profile of agency workers

Agency work creates jobs and aids labour market transitions

Ciett National Federation Members

About The Way to Work

The agency work penetration rate is 1.5% in Japan,