1. ECONOMIC REPORT
The agency work industry
around the world
2011 Edition
(based on figures available for 2009)

3. The agency work industry
around the world ECONOMIC REPORT
2011 Edition
(based on figures available for 2009)

4. Introduction
In 2009, the global agency work impact of the economic crisis on the jobs that would not otherwise exist,
industry continued to feel the impact of labour market in general, and the enhancing companies’ competitiveness
the economic downturn that started in agency work sector in particular, began and workers’ employability, thereby
the USA in 2007, and quickly spread to in spring 2008 and accelerated in 2009. promoting a labour market that
the rest of the world. Certain countries This report goes on to begin to describe corresponds better to peoples’ - and
were hit harder than others, while some the strong recovery made by the agency companies’ - needs and aspirations.
continued to grow. The trends in this work sector in the first half of 2010.
report go some way to showing that In global markets emerging from crisis,
the openness and the socio-economic In 2009, some markets such as the agency work industry’s capacity to
fabric of national economies and Brazil and South Africa continued anticipate and match labour market
the flexibility of their labour markets to grow, boosted by their rapidly needs with the required skills is even
account for the difference across expanding economies, which were more crucial, as agencies serve as
countries. only temporarily set back by the impresarios for workers, immediately
crisis. However, most mature markets identifying job vacancies, providing
Overall, the total number of agency continued the declines which began in training, and facilitating the transition
workers worldwide fell 6% in 2009, the previous year. from unemployment to work, from one
compared to 2008, amounting to assignment to the next. In addition,
nearly 9 million full-time equivalents Agency work plays - and still has the agency work prepared the ground for a
on a daily basis. In parallel, global total potential to play further - a valuable job-creating economic upturn, helping
annual sales revenues also fell by 16%, role in easing transitions within and into companies face the ongoing global
amounting to €203 billion. The negative the labour market. Agency work creates competitive pressure, increasing labour
4

5. market participation, and furthermore,
accelerating and increasing the number
of jobs created as the economy
recovers.
Now more than ever, the agency work
industry plays a key role in improving
the functioning of the labour market,
by facilitating the match between
supply and demand of labour, by
securing upwards transitions for agency
workers, and by providing more work
opportunities for more people.
5

6. 6

7. Content
1. The players 11
2. Agency workers in numbers 19
3. The profile of agency workers 28
a. General trends
b. Agency workers’ motives & satisfaction
4. Agency work’s contribution to a better functioning labour market 46
a. Transitions
b. Job creation
c. Inclusion & diversity
5. Companies’ rationale to use agency work 65
6. Agency work and the economic recovery 72
7

8. The key facts & figures
The players
• There are 72,000 private employment The profile of agency workers
agencies and 169,000 branches
worldwide, employing 741,000 internal • Nearly three in five agency workers are
staff Agency workers aged less than 30
• In 2009 the total annual sales revenues of in numbers • Three in four agency workers have at best
the top 10 private employment agencies finished their secondary education
worldwide accounted for 29% of the total • In 2009 nearly 9 million agency workers • A significant proportion of agency
agency work market in full-time equivalents were employed workers do not seek a permanent
• In 2009 the global total annual sales by private employment agencies across employment
revenues amounted to €203 billion, the globe, down 6% from 2008 • The motive to work via an agency is
down 16% from 2008 • The agency work penetration rate is 1.7% usually to find a permanent job
• Japan is the world leader with 24% of total in Japan and 1.5% in Europe and 1.3% in
annual sales. The USA represents 22% of the USA
the global agency work market, followed • The average number of hours worked
by the UK at 12% by an agency worker during one year is
• Europe is the leading regional entity by nearly half as much as a full time worker
total annual sales revenues, accounting • Most agency work assignments are more
for 40% of global total annual sales than one month long
revenues
8

9. The contribution of agency
work to a better functioning Agency work and the economic
labour market recovery
Companies’ rationale to use
• Agency work facilitates transitions in the agency work • Agency work is a bellwether of the
labour market economic situation
• Agency work contributes to reducing • Agency work improves companies’ • As a cyclical business - and a forecasting
unemployment especially by serving as a competitiveness indicator - agency work has suffered from
stepping-stone into the labour market • Agency work is not a substitute for the economic crisis, but agency workers
• The higher the agency work penetration permanent employment have been the first ones to be hired when
rate the lower the level of undeclared • Reasons to use agency work are generally the economy recovers
work to meet peaks in demand or to fill in for • Agency work limits the risk and duration
• Private employment agencies contribute absent employees of unemployment
to upgrading the skills of agency workers • The private employment agency industry
• Vulnerable target groups use agency has rebounded sharply since the
work as a means of entering the labour recession
market
9

10. 10

11. 1. The players
• There are 72,000 private employment agencies
[PrEAs] worldwide, with 169,000 branches and
741,000 persons as internal staff
• Total annual sales revenues for the top 10 PrEAs
account for 29% of the global agency work market
• Global total annual sales revenues amounted to
€203 billion in 2009
• Japan is the world leader with 24% of total annual
sales. The USA represents 22% of the global agency
work market, followed by the UK with 12%
• Europe is the leading regional entity by total
annual sales revenues, accounting for 40% of
global total annual sales revenues
11

12. There are 72,000 private
employment agencies...
From 2008 to 2009 the number Number of private employment agencies
of private employment agencies Japan 20,000
UK 11,500
[PrEAs] increased by 1% to reach Germany 9,078
USA
72,000. Europe accounts for 48% of Netherlands 3,640
6,000
Australia
all PrEAs, the Asia/Pacific region for South Africa
3,500
3,000
34%, North America for 8% and Africa Brazil
South Korea
1,611
1,419
for 4%. Japan, Germany and the UK Denmark
France
1,347
1,200
are the top three countries in terms Austria
Poland
1,200
1,086
of number of PrEAs, accounting Canada
Peru
945
722
collectively for 56% of all agencies Hungary
Colombia
667
610
worldwide. As recognised by the ILO: Sweden
Mexico
500
500
“Private employment agencies play Finland 450
Norway 400
an important role in the functioning Spain* 363
Slovakia 355
of contemporary labour markets. Turkey 283
Portugal 265
For the past three decades, the Czech Republic 215
Chile 179
increasing need to provide workers Belgium 140
Romania 129
and services to a rapidly growing Argentina 92
Italy 85
and flexible labour market has led Slovenia 59
Macedonia 27
to the spectacular development of Greece 9
these agencies.” ** 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000
* figures for 2008
** ILO - Private employment agencies, temporary agency workers and their contribution to the labour market | 2009
12

13. ... with 169,000
branches worldwide ThE PlAyErS
From 2008 to 2009 the number of Number of branches
branches increased by 1% to attain Japan 83,808
169,000; the Asia/Pacific region USA
UK
20,000
17,000
accounting for 55%, Europe for Germany 7,064
Australia 7,000
28%, and North America for 12%. South Africa 7,000
Japan, the USA, and the UK are the France 6,500
Netherland 5,285
top three countries by number of Canada 3,616
Italy 2900
branches, accounting together for Poland 2,941
72% of all branches worldwide. Czech Republic 2,069
South Korea 1,983
Spain* 1,700
The “branch to PrEA” ratio varies Austria 1,500
Belgium 1,234
greatly from country to country, from Hungary 977
a staggering 34.5 branches per PrEA Sweden 850
Norway 700
in Italy to fewer than one per private Brazil 489
Slovakia 465
employment agency in Germany. This Argentina 430
difference can be explained by the Portugal* 427
Romania 194
very high concentration of the Italian Slovenia 140
Chile 102
agency work market, characterised by Greece 16
a small number of large companies 0 10.000 20.000 30.000 40.000 50.000 60.000 70.000 80.000 90.000
with an extensive network. This is
in contrast to highly fragmented * figures for 2008
markets, such as Germany, single local branch (some German of dormant, non active agencies
characterised by a large number companies operate without any influencing this number). The global
of PrEAs, often operating from a branches, while there is also a number average is 2.3 branches per PrEA.
13

14. 741,000 people were employed
as internal staff by PrEAs in 2009
From 2008 to 2009 the number Internal staff employed
of internal staff [HR consultants
Japan 185,000
and back-office people working Brazil 169,635
in branches] decreased by 10% to USA 120,000
UK 108,833
reach 741,000. Europe accounts for Germany 44,700
30%, the Asia/Pacific region for 26%, Netherlands 34,000
France 23,000
and South America for 25%. The top Sweden 11,000
three countries in terms of internal Italy
Belgium
9,000
6,482
staff are Japan, Brazil, and the USA, Mexico 6,100
South Africa 5,500
accounting together for 65% of all Poland 4,100
internal staff worldwide. ArgenPna 3,550
Australia 3,500
Finland 3,000
The global average is 4 people Hungary 2,885
Norway 2,340
employed as internal staff per South Korea 2,032
Romania
branch, and 10 per PrEA. This Czech Republic
1,472
1,440
illustrates that the agency work Chile 1,348
Slovakia 1,254
industry is still mostly composed of Portugal* 750
small and medium-sized companies, Slovenia 420
Luxembourg* 307
despite the presence of several large Greece 183
multinationals operating worldwide. 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000 180,000 200,000
* figures for 2008
14

15. The top 10 PrEAs worldwide accounted
for 29% of global annual sales revenues in 2009 ThE PlAyErS
In 2009 some of the main global Top 10 staffing companies in billions of $
players continued to feel the impact 25.0
of the economic crisis. Adecco, with
$21.3 billion in total annual sales
revenues, remains the market leader. 21.3
20.0
Randstad is the second largest PrEA
with $17.3 billion, followed by 17.3
16.7
Manpower with $16.7 billion.
15.0
10.0
5.0 4.9
4.3 4.2 4.2
3.8
3.2
2.7
0
Adecco Randstad Manpower Allegis Kelly Recruit USG People Hays PLC Advantage Robert Half
Group Services Staffingand Resourcing
StaffService*
Source: Staffing Industry Analysts 2009 - www.staffingindustry.com
*Consolidated figures for Recruit Staffing and Staff Service
15

16. Global total annual sales revenues
totaled €203 billion
In 2009, the global total annual Global annual sales revenues in billions of € *
sales revenues for the agency work
industry amounted to €203 billion,
300
a decline of 16% compared to 2008,
reflecting the ongoing of the impact
of the crisis on major economies, 250 256
such as the USA and the UK. 243
233
200
203
191
150 157 160
147 150
130
100
83
50
0
1996 1998 1999 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Source: Ciett national federations
16

17. In 2009 Japan and the USA are global agency
work market leaders by total annual sales revenues ThE PlAyErS
In 2009, Japan is the world leader Agency work sales revenues split per country
with 24% of global annual sales. The
USA represents 22% of the global Rest of World
agency work market. The UK remains 15%
the third largest market worldwide
with 12% of global total annual sales Japan 24%
revenues. Europe accounts for 40%
Brazil 4%
of global total annual sales revenues,
Asia/Pacific for 35%, and North Australia 4%
America for 22%.
Netherlands 5%
Germany 6%
USA 22%
France 8%
UK 12%
Source: Ciett national federations
17

18. Japan, the USA, and the UK
are the three largest agency work markets in 2009
Japan, the USA, and the UK together
account for 52% of PrEAs worldwide, Comparison of the 3 largest agency work markets in the world
72% of branches, 54% of internal
Japan USA UK
staff, 61% of total annual sales
revenues, and 47% of agency workers Number of PrEAs 20,000 6,000 11,500
in full-time equivalents. Number of branches 83,808 20,000 17,000
Number of agency workers 1,098,191 2,010,000 1,068,197
The UK has the lowest “branch
to PrEA ratio” and the highest Number of internal staff 185,000 120,000 95,865
“internal staff to branch ratio”.
Branch to PrEA ratio 4.2 3.3 1.5
This can be explained by the high
level of fragmentation of the UK Internal staff to branch ratio 3 6 5.6
agency work market, characterised Agency worker to branch ratio 13 100.5 6.3
by a majority of small private
employment agencies that operate Agency worker to internal staff ratio 6 16.8 11.1
locally. Japan has the lowest “agency Country’s share of total global annual sales revenues 24% 22% 12%
worker to branch” and “agency
AW penetration rate 1.7% 1.3% 3.6%
worker to internal staff” ratios,
and the USA the largest. These
figures must be assessed carefully,
bearing in mind that there might This difference can also be partially 76% of the average annual hours
be a significant amount of dormant explained by the fact that Japanese worked by a Japanese employee with
agencies and branches in Japan. agency workers work an exceptional a full-time open-ended contract.
18

19. 2. Agency workers in numbers
• nearly 9 million agency workers in full-time
equivalents were employed in 2009.
• The number of agency workers has risen by over
3.8 million since 1999.
• In 2009 the European average penetration rate
of agency work was 1.5% and the South American
average 0.8%.
• In 2009 the Japanese and American agency work
penetration rates were respectively 1.7% and 1.3%.
• Agency workers work nearly half as much as full-
time permanent employees.
• Most agency work assignments are more than one
month long.
19

20. 9 million agency workers
were employed in 2009
In 2009 the total number of agency Daily average number of FTEs °
workers worldwide amounted USA 2,010,000
to nearly 9 million in full-time Japan
UK
1,098,191
1,068,197
equivalents, a decrease of 6% South Africa
Brazil
924,499
902,000
compared to 2008. Europe accounts Germany
Colombia
625,000
530,000
France 447,348
for 34%, North America for 23%, and Netherlands 212,651
Italy 162,000
the Asia/Pacific region for 14%. Spain* 141,064
Australia 100,000
South Korea 83,775
Argentina 76,454
The USA employs nearly as many Poland 71,914
Belgium 71,759
agency workers in full-time Austria 57,230
Switzerland 56,950
equivalents [2.01 million] than the Sweden 46,000
Macedonia 45,230
second and third biggest suppliers Portugal* 45,000
Peru 42,500
of agency workers combined, Czech Republic 35,625
Chile 29,112
respectively Japan [1.1 million], and Romania 22,153
Hungary 22,153
the UK [1.07 million]. Together, the Denmark
Norway
21,227
20,186
USA, Japan, and the UK account for Finland
Uruguay*
20,000
15,000
47% of all agency workers assigned Slovakia
Bulgaria*
14,492
5,400
worldwide. South Africa is the Greece
Luxembourg*
5,087
4,300
fourth largest market in the world Slovenia
Lithuania
2,828
823
with 924,499 agency workers in 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000
full-time equivalents, ahead of Brazil
[902,000], Germany [625,000] and ° Full-time equivalents defined as the total number of hours worked by all agency workers in a country over a period of one year divided by the average number of hours
worked over a period of one year by a worker with a full-time job with an open-ended contract
Colombia [550,000]. * figures for 2008
20

21. The number of agency workers
has increased by 3.8 million since 1999 AGEnCy worKErS
In nUMbErS
The number of agency workers Number of agency workers [in daily FTEs / 1.000]
worldwide increased from close to 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Austria 21 24 30 33 31 38 44 47 59 67 68 57
5.2 million full-time equivalents in Belgium 60 63 71 68 66 66 73 78 88 95 92 72
Bulgaria na na na na na na na na na na 5 5
1999 to nearly 9 million in 2009. Czech Republic
Denmark
na
7
na
7
na
8
na
10
na
10
na
11
na
13
na
17
na
21
na
17
35
21
36
18
Finland 9 8 9 11 11 12 14 16 18 28 32 20
France 458 515 604 602 570 555 570 586 603 638 604 447
In the last ten years, the number of Germany
Greece
246
na
276
na
328
na
341
na
318
na
330
na
385
na
444
na
580
na
715
8
760
8
625
5
agency workers in Europe has greatly Hungary
Ireland
ns
9
ns
10
ns
25
ns
25
30
25
39
25
53
25
54
25
55
30
55*
35
55*
35*
22
35*
increased, partially as a result of the Italy 10 26 69 67 82 132 154 157 184 222 225 162
EUroPE
Lithuania na na na na na na na na na na na 1
progressive liberalisation of certain Luxembourg
Macedonia
2
na
3
na
4
na
4
na
4
na
4
na
4
na
4
na
5
2
5
2*
4
2*
4
5
tightly regulated labour markets, Netherlands
Norway
180
11
186
11
183
11
178
12
169
11
154
10
157
12
176
15
207
24
233
25
242
26
213
20
notably in Italy, Germany, and the Poland
Portugal
ns
33
ns
45
ns
45
ns
45
ns
45
19
45
25
45
27
45
35
45
60
45
90
45
72
45
Nordic countries, and the opening Romania
Slovakia
na
ns
na
ns
na
ns
na
ns
na
ns
na
ns
na
11
na
na
na
na
na
na
30
14
22
14
up of new markets in Central and Slovenia
Spain
na
110
na
133
na
133
na
126
na
123
na
123
na
124
na
130
na
141
na
160
3
141
3
141*
Eastern Europe. Sweden
Switzerland
18
30
24
34
42
39
38
38
37
37
29
36
30
41
32
49
37
61
59
70
59
69
46
57
UK 696 761 1,027 1,027 1,036 1,111 1,175 1,219 1,265 1,378 1,220 1,068
Subtotal Europe 1,900 2,126 2,629 2,625 2,605 2,739 2,955 3,120 3,460 3,917 3,885 3,214
Outside Europe the number of Argentina 47 46 48 47 34 54 70 81 88 96 96 76
Australia na na na na na na na na na na na 100
agency workers has nearly doubled Brazil na na na na na na na na 800 859 876 902
rEST oF worlD
Chile na na na na na na na na 86 33 30 29
between 1999 and 2009, on Colombia na na na na na na na na na na na 550
Japan 307 395 537 612 693 743 890 1,060 1,220 1,330 1,400 1,098
account of the gradual deregulation Mexico na na na na na na na na na 25 24 24*
Peru na na na na na na na na na na na 43
of the Japanese labour market, and South Africa ns ns ns ns ns ns ns 300 300 300 500 924
South Korea ns ns ns ns ns ns 50 57 66 75 78 84
the advent of emerging markets, Uruguay
USA
na
2,530
na
2,600
na
2,700
na
2,300
na
2,160
na
2,380
na
2,670
na
2,910
na
2,960
na
2,960
15
2,660
na
2,010
such as Brazil and South Africa, on Subtotal rest of world 2,884 3,041 3,285 2,959 2,887 3,177 3,680 4,408 5,520 5,678 5,679 5,775
the global scene. ToTAl worlD 4,784 5,167 5,914 5,584 5,492 5,916 6,635 7,528 8,980 9,595 9,564 8,989
ns = non significant; nlr = not legally recognised; na = not available; * = estimated
21

22. Outside Europe agency
work penetration rates vary widely
Agency work penetration rates are Agency work penetration rates outside Europe in 2009*
determined by the level of maturity
of the market in which they evolve. 7.0%
Mature agency work markets are 6.5%
characterised by high penetration 6.0%
rates, indicating a potent blend of
large user bases, strong economic
5.0%
growth, and generally relevantly
regulated markets. At a mere 1.1%
4.0%
of the total regional active working
population, the relatively low
penetration rate of agency work in 3.0% 2.8%
South American countries reveals
the region’s considerable potential 2.0%
1.7%
for growth. 1.3%
1.5%
1.0% 1.0%
0.4% 0.4% 0.4%
0.0%
South Africa Colombia Japan USA Brazil Chile Argentina South Korea EU Average
* Defined as the number of full-time equivalents - as supplied by Ciett National Federations - divided by the total active working population - as published by the ILO
22

23. The average European agency
work penetration dipped from 2007 to 2009 AGEnCy worKErS
In nUMbErS
In Europe, the level of regulation and
Agency work penetration rates in Europe since 1998
degree of economic development
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
explain the differences in pace of Austria 0.6% 0.7% 0.8% 0.9% 0.8% 1.0% 1.2% 1.2% 1.5% 1.7% 2.0% 1.4%
growth of the agency work industry. Belgium 1.6% 1.6% 1.7% 1.7% 1.6% 1.6% 1.8% 1.9% 2.1% 2.2% 2.1% 1.7%
Bulgaria na na na na na na na na na na 0.2% na
Recently, countries such as Germany
Czech Republic na na na na na na na na na na 0.7% 0.7%
and Poland have revealed their Denmark 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 0.4% 0.4% 0.4% 0.5% 0.6% 0.8% 0.6% 0.8% 0.6%
potential, but each for very different Finland 0.4% 0.3% 0.4% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.6% 0.7% 0.7% 1.1% 1.3% 0.8%
France 2.1% 2.3% 2.6% 2.5% 2.4% 2.3% 2.4% 2.4% 2.4% 2.5% 2.3% 1.7%
reasons: Germany as a heavily- Germany 0.6% 0.7% 0.8% 0.8% 0.7% 0.8% 0.9% 1.0% 1.3% 1.6% 2.0% 1.6%
industrialised economy, slowly Greece na na na na na na na na na 0.2% 0.2% 0.1%
Hungary ns ns ns ns 0.8% 1.0% 1.4% 1.4% 1.4% 1.4% 1.4% 0.6%
freeing itself of very strict regulatory Ireland 0.6% 0.6% 1.5% 1.5% 1.4% 1.4% 1.4% 1.3% 1.5% 1.7% 1.7% na
measures, and Poland as a budding Italy 0.0% 0.1% 0.3% 0.3% 0.4% 0.6% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 1.0% 0.9% 0.7%
regional leader, rapidly catching up Luxembourg 1.2% 1.7% 1.9% 2.0% 2.2% 2.3% 2.1% 2.3% 2.4% 2.4% 2.0% na
Netherlands 2.4% 2.5% 2.3% 2.2% 2.1% 1.9% 1.9% 2.2% 2.5% 2.8% 2.9% 2.5%
its Western European counterparts. Norway 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.4% 0.5% 0.7% 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 0.8%
The steady growth from 1996 Poland ns ns ns ns ns 0.1% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% 0.4% 0.6% 0.3%
Portugal 0.7% 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% 0.9% na
to 2007 halted abruptly in 2008 Romania na na na na na na na na na na 0.3% 0.2%
and continued its decline with a Slovakia na na na na na na na na na na 0.6% 0.6%
penetration rate drop of 0.2% across Slovenia na na na na na na na na na na 0.3% 0.3%
Spain 0.8% 0.9% 0.9% 0.8% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 0.8% 0.7% na
Europe in 2009. Sweden 0.5% 0.6% 1.0% 0.9% 0.9% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 0.8% 1.3% 1.3% 1.0%
Switzerland 0.8% 0.9% 1.0% 1.0% 0.9% 0.9% 1.0% 1.2% 1.5% 1.7% 1.7% 1.4%
UK 2.6% 2.8% 3.8% 3.8% 3.8% 4.0% 4.2% 4.3% 4.5% 4.8% 4.1% 3.6%
weighted average 1.1% 1.2% 1.5% 1.5% 1.4% 1.5% 1.6% 1.7% 1.8% 2.0% 1.7% 1.5%
ns = non significant ; nlr = not legally recognised ; na = not available
23

24. The European average agency
work penetration rate was 1.5% in 2009
The European average agency work Agency work penetration rates in Europe in 2009*
penetration rate fell from 1.7% in
2008 to 1.5% in 2009, notably due
to the sustained impact of the
4.0%
economic crisis. Nevertheless, this
3.6%
average hides enormous differences 3.5%
from country to country, ranging
2.9%
from 3.6% in the UK to 0.1% in 3.0%
Greece. Mature markets in Western 2.5%
Europe, namely the UK, France,
Germany and the Benelux countries, 2.0%
1.7%
1.7% 1.6%
are all above average; whereas the 1.4% 1.4% European average penetration rate : 1.5%
1.5%
newer markets in Southern and
1.0%
Eastern Europe are all below average, 1.0% 0.9% 0.8% 0.8% 0.8% 0.7% 0.7%
indicating that they still have room 0.6% 0.6% 0.6%
0.4%
0.5%
to grow. 0.3% 0.29%
0.1%
0.0%
UK
Netherlands
France
Belgium
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Sweden
Portugal
Norway
Finland
Macedonia
Czech Republic
Italy
Denmark
Slovakia
Hungary
Poland
Slovenia
Romania
Greece
* Defined as the number of full-time equivalents - as supplied by Ciett National Federations - divided by the total active working population - as published by the ILO
24

25. Penetration rate
in major markets fell in 2009 AGEnCy worKErS
In nUMbErS
In 2009, the European and American Comparison of European, Japanese and
penetration rates fell to 1.4% and American agency work penetration rates
1.3% respectively, reflecting the
2.2%
sustained impact of the economic
2.1%
crisis on these markets, whilst the 2.0%
1.9% 2.0%
Japanese penetration also fell 1.7%, 1.8% 1.8%
1.7%
although it entered the crisis later 1.7%
1.6%
1.7%
1.6%
1.5%
than the USA and Europe. 1.5%
1.5%
1.4%
1.3%
1.0% 1.1%
1.0%
0.8%
0.5%
0.5%
0.0%
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
US
Japan
Europe
Source: Ciett national federations
25

26. Agency workers work nearly half as many hours
on a yearly basis as full-time permanent employees
Agency workers tend to work less Average number of hours worked *
during one year than a worker Sweden 1,625
1,627
with a full-time, open-ended Argentina 1,820
1,589
contract - except for the notable Japan 1,772
1,354
exception of Sweden. From country Brazil
1,320
1,689
to country, the average number of Australia
1,200
1,721
hours worked by an agency worker Mexico
1,120
1,893
compared to the average number Slovakia
1,021
1,769
of hours worked by a permanent Hungary
840
1,989
2,121
full-time employee varies greatly, Greece
730
1,389
from less than 15% in the Czech Netherlands
697
1,902
Republic to equivalent in Sweden. Chile
690
Switzerland 1,643
465
Italy 1,802
450
1,422
Norway 419
1,969
Poland 382
1,542
France 370
1,992
Czech Republic 288
1,568
Belgium 251
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000
Average per full-time permanent employee Average per agency worker
* By an individual during one year
Sources : Ciett National Federations, ILO 2009
26