Hays plc Calls for G20 Action on Global Jobs Creation

LONDON, May 20, 2011 - Hays plc, the global specialist recruiting firm, has called on
governments and industries across the world to take joined-up action to
tackle the looming threat of increased global unemployment as the world's
working population is set to increase dramatically. With many countries
already at record levels of unemployment, co-ordinated action needs to be
taken now to avert future labour crises as significantly more people are set
to join the global labour force. To this end Hays has developed a Five Point
Plan.

Hays, which placed more than 230,000 people in work across 30 countries
in 2010, has published a seminal report; Creating Jobs in a Global Economy,
compiled in partnership with economic forecaster, Oxford Economics,
illustrating the challenges ahead for employers, employees and governments
across the world.

The report forecasts the dramatic movements of workforce, power and
wealth across the globe over the next 20 years. The world's working-age
population is expected to increase by over a billion people in this
timeframe. However, all of this growth will be developing economies. The
developed world will see its workforce shrink and age.

Governments and industries must start to plan now how they will deal with
this imbalance, both to harness the economic potential that this larger
workforce can provide as well as creating the skills that will otherwise
become in increasingly short supply in many areas. Developing markets will
face a period of rapid industrialisation and infrastructure construction
which will require access to skilled and experienced workers currently
unavailable in sufficient numbers domestically. Similarly, the developed
markets will need to find ways of maintaining their competitive edge in key
industries by investing in the future skills required, albeit against a
backdrop of a smaller and older pool of workers.

Alistair Cox, CEO, Hays, said: "Our report illustrates the profound and
stark challenges our world will face in the future both to create employment
opportunities for a billion more people and balance the mismatch we are
already seeing between supply and demand of key skills. Only by thinking
globally can governments and companies put in place the environment to solve
these conflicting challenges and create the basis for full employment and a
sound global economy."

The report demonstrates the need for employment policy to be discussed at
the G20 in Mexico and at the WEF next year. Cox added: "Everyone is talking
about the growth in the Chinese population. The fact is that China's working
age population is set to plateau and then decline in our generation, just
like many countries in the West. No one is yet talking about how industries
will employ the extra billion people who will soon be looking for work in
India, Africa and South America. That is a huge opportunity if governments
and businesses get it right, but a big social problem if we get it wrong."

'Creating Jobs in a Global Economy 2011-2030' follows the publication
last year of 'Action on Skills and Jobs: The Hays Manifesto for Employment'
which outlined the actions needed to create a healthy employment market in
the UK.

About Hays:

Hays plc is the leading global specialist recruitment group. It is market
leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental
Europe. As at 31 December 2010, the Group employed 7,086 staff operating from
257 offices in 30 countries across 17 specialisms. These specialisms cover a
range of opportunities including accountancy jobs (
www.hays.co.uk/enhance-your-career/accountancy-finance-jobs/),
marketing jobs, architecture jobs (
www.hays.co.uk/enhance-your-career/architecture-jobs/), financial
services jobs (
www.hays.co.uk/enhance-your-career/financial-services-jobs/),
construction jobs (
www.hays.co.uk/enhance-your-career/construction-jobs/) and teaching
assistant jobs (
www.hays.co.uk/enhance-your-career/education-early-years-jobs/teaching
-assistants-jobs/).

    For further information please contact:

    Claire Fowler
    Hays
    Stockley House
    130 Wilton Road
    London
    SW1V 1LQ
    +44-(0)20-7259-8821

www.hays.co.uk

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