Hays hit by hiring dive

RECRUITMENT giant Hays has given warning about further cuts to its workforce as it revealed annual profits plunged by nearly two-thirds after the Covid-19 crisis hit hiring worldwide.

The group saw its consultant workforce fall by 11 per cent to 6,900 at its June 30 year end, with a 6 per cent fall in the UK and Ireland, and said a small further drop was expected in the three months to the end of September.

It came as Hays reported a 63 per cent fall in pre-tax profits to £86.3million for the year to June 30 after fees tumbled 11 per cent.