A survey conducted across Europe by market leading e-recruitment solution provider, StepStone has revealed that the trend to increase the workforce continues in European companies. In 2004 only half the companies surveyed were planning to hire additional staff, a figure which has grown dramatically to 66 per cent today. The StepStone ìRecruitment Trends 2006î survey covers more than 1,800 HR managers encompassing various company sizes and industry sectors.
In particular, the survey shows that Dutch companies are planning to increase their workforce this year with 81 per cent of the companies in the Netherlands expecting to hire additional staff. Companies in Sweden show the greatest increase in expected workforce since 2004 with 72per cent of Swedish companies planning to add headcount versus just 48 per cent in 2004. Only Belgian companies expect a decline in hiring with just 64 per cent of companies planning additional hires against 71 per cent in 2005.
This projected growth in headcount is reinforced by a significant reduction in planned job cuts. Only five per cent of European companies are planning to dismiss staff this year ñ in contrast to 13 per cent in 2004. The sole exception is in the United Kingdom where 13 percent of companies plan to cut jobs in 2006.
ìThe European job market for specialists and executives is currently gaining momentum, with the strongest growth coming from the IT and telecommunications, engineering and sales sectors showing greatest employment potential growth. In the last two years weíve seen demand within these job categories increase more than 300 per cent across Europe. However, UK recruitment is trailing behind its continental cousins,î commented Colin Tenwick, CEO StepStone.
StepStone identifies increase in hiring in 2006
Positive signals for the job market across Europe
