Adecco CEO: less permanent hiring in Britain as firms wait and see

[March 02, 2017]  ZURICH (Reuters) - British firms, especially financial groups, are filling fewer permanent positions as they wait to see what happens once the country triggers its exit from the European Union, staffing group Adecco's CEO said on Thursday.

Alain Dehaze, Chief Executive Officer of Swiss Adecco Group gestures during an interview with Reuters in Glattbrugg, Switzerland August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

"We see companies waiting to make decisions on new hiring, as they expect (Brexit) Article 50 to be triggered in the coming months. They want to have more clarity about the future," Alain Dehaze told Reuters after releasing fourth-quarter results.

A 15 percent fall in Britain's permanent placement business in the fourth quarter -- accelerating from a 5 percent drop in the third quarter -- was especially related to a decrease in financial services in London, he said, as well as some savings made in government auditing.

Dehaze also said it was premature to note any jump in U.S. infrastructure hiring under U.S. President Donald Trump.

"We're all waiting to get more clarity about what kind of investment will be done and when," he said.

(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; Editing by Michael Shields)

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