Interim Management Statement

HAYS PLC

INTERIM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
QUARTER ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2011

6 October 2011


Financial summary

Growth in net fees for the quarter ended 30 September 2011 (Q1)        growth       
(versus the same period last year)                                    
                                                                  actual     LFL*
By region                                                              
      Asia Pacific                                                   34%      21%
      Continental Europe & Rest of World                             41%      34%
      United Kingdom & Ireland                                      (4)%     (4)%
      Total                                                          21%      15%

By segment                                                             
      Temporary                                                      21%      16%
      Permanent                                                      21%      15%   
      Total                                                          21%      15%
                                                                       
* LFL (like-for-like) growth represents organic growth at constant currency.
Average exchange rates during the period were £1:AUD$1.54 and £1:€1.14 (AUD$1.72 
and €1.20 in the prior year period)


Highlights

· Group net fee growth of 15%* versus prior year, driven by continued strong 
  performance of our International businesses, which represented 68% of net 
  fees in the quarter

· Excellent and broadly based growth of 34%* in Continental Europe & Rest of 
  World, driven by Germany, which grew net fees by 34%*

· Strong net fee growth of 21%* in Asia Pacific, which included 20%* growth in 
  Australia & New Zealand

· Net fees decreased 4% in the UK & Ireland, with private sector growth of 2% 
  offset by tough, but sequentially stable, public sector markets, down 24% 
  year on year

· 19 countries across the Group achieved net fee growth of 20%* or more, within 
  which 10 countries grew net fees by over 40%*, including Brazil and China

· Continued investment in the International business in the quarter, with Hays 
  Colombia opened in July and International consultant headcount increasing 9%
 

Commenting on trading for the first quarter, Alistair Cox, Chief Executive,
said:

"This quarter we have delivered good net fee growth driven by our International
businesses which grew by 27%*. Whilst we are mindful of the increasing macro
economic uncertainty around the world, trading remains robust in the vast
majority of our International markets and 19 countries across the Group grew
net fees by 20%* or more in the quarter. In the UK, we have seen a further
slowdown in private sector growth, although public sector markets remain
broadly stable on a sequential basis.

The Group now generates 68% of its net fees outside of the UK and has
operations in 31 countries worldwide. This increasingly diverse global
footprint supported by our investments in consultant headcount, technology,
training and marketing leaves us ideally positioned to further capitalise on
the long term structural growth opportunities available to Hays around the
world."
 

Group

In the quarter ended 30 September 2011, Hays, the leading global professional
recruitment group, increased net fees by 21% (15% on a like-for-like basis*)
against prior year. Net fees in the temporary placement business increased by
16%* whilst net fees in the permanent placement business increased by 15%* as
the Group continued to see strong performance across the vast majority of its
markets.

The Group's underlying temporary placement margin** remained broadly stable and
in line with the previous quarter. The Group's consultant headcount increased
by 6% during the quarter, driven by ongoing investment in Asia, Continental
Europe and South America.  New offices were opened in Cologne in Germany and
Guangzhou in China during the quarter, and Hays Colombia, our 31st country
operation, was launched in July.
 

Asia Pacific

In Asia Pacific we recorded net fee growth of 21%*. In our market-leading
Australia & New Zealand business, we recorded overall net fee growth of 20%*,
within which our permanent placement business grew by 16%*, whilst net fees in
our temporary placement business increased by 23%*. Overall net fee growth
remains good, led by our Accountancy & Finance and IT businesses and we
continue to see strong performances in Western and South Australia,
particularly in Resources & Mining.

Asia, which accounts for 14% of the division's net fees, achieved net fee
growth of 30%*. Performances in China, Hong Kong and Singapore were excellent
as each grew by over 30%* and achieved record monthly net fees in the quarter.
In Japan, we continue to see good progress following the events in that country
earlier this year and net fees increased by 7%*.

Consultant headcount in the Asia Pacific division increased by 5% during the
quarter and is up 18% year on year.
 

Continental Europe & Rest of World ('RoW')

In Continental Europe & RoW we recorded net fee growth of 34%*. Our German
business had another record performance this quarter as net fees increased by
34%*. Growth in Germany was broadly based across all of the sectors in which we
operate, and was particularly strong in our contracting and temporary placement
businesses. Growth across the rest of the division has been strong and broad
based, with 13 countries increasing net fees by 20%* or more, led by strong
performances in Austria, Brazil, Hungary, Russia and UAE which each achieved
net fee growth in excess of 40%*.

Consultant headcount in the Continental Europe & RoW division increased by 11%
during the quarter and is up 36% year on year.
 

United Kingdom & Ireland

In the United Kingdom & Ireland, net fees decreased by 4% in the quarter. In
our private sector business, which represents 80% of net fees in the division,
net fees grew by 2%. Growth weakened versus the previous quarter in large part
due to tougher comparatives and more difficult market conditions in our Banking
and City-related businesses. Elsewhere in our private sector business, our IT,
Energy and Sales & Marketing businesses continued to perform well. In our
public sector business, net fees decreased by 24% year on year, but were stable
on a sequential basis.

Consultant headcount in the United Kingdom & Ireland division was broadly
stable in the quarter and is 7% below prior year levels.
 

Cash flow and balance sheet

Net debt increased to around £175 million (30 June 2011: £134.8 million) at the
end of the quarter due to the timing and phasing of cash flows. As previously
guided we expect this to increase further in the next quarter following the
payment of the final dividend in November, before reducing in the second half.

* LFL (like-for-like) growth represents organic growth at constant currency.
Average exchange rates during the period were £1:AUD$1.54 and £1:€1.14 
(AUD$1.72 and €1.20 in the prior year period)

** the underlying temporary placement gross margin is calculated as temporary
placement net fees divided by temporary placement gross revenue and relates
solely to temporary placements in which Hays generates net fees and specifically 
excludes transactions in which Hays acts as agent on behalf of workers supplied 
by third party agencies.
 

Enquiries

Hays plc                                                                            
Paul Venables                   Finance Director            + 44 (0) 20 7383 2266   
James Hilton / David Walker     Investor Relations          + 44 (0) 20 7383 2266   
                                                                 
Maitland                                                                            
Liz Morley                                                  + 44 (0) 20 7379 5151   
Brian Hudspith                                                                      
                                                                                    

Conference call

Paul Venables and James Hilton of Hays plc will conduct a conference call for
analysts and investors at 9:00am United Kingdom time on Thursday 6 October
2011. The dial-in details are as follows:

Dial-in number                                              [phone] 
Password                                                    hays                 
                                                                                
The call will be recorded and available for playback for seven days as follows: 

Replay dial-in number                                       [phone] 
Access code                                                 379861#              
 

Reporting calendar

Trading Update for quarter ending 31 December 2011                   11 January 2012   
Interim Results for six months ending 31 December 2011               22 February 2012  
Interim Management Statement for the quarter ending 31 March 2012    11 April 2012     


Note to editors

Hays plc (the "Group") is a leading global professional recruiting group. The
Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people
worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Asia Pacific and one of the
market leaders in Continental Europe and Latin America. The Group operates
across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract
roles and temporary assignments. As at 30 June 2011, the Group employed 7,620
staff operating from 255 offices in 31 countries across 20 specialisms. For the
year ended 30 June 2011:

- the Group reported net fees of £672 million and operating profit of £114 million;

- the Group placed around 60,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 190,000 
  people into temporary assignments;

- 31% of Group net fees were generated in Asia Pacific, 33% in Continental 
  Europe & RoW (CERoW) and 36% in the United Kingdom & Ireland;

- the temporary placement business represented 54% of net fees and the permanent 
  placement business represented 46% of net fees;

- Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria,Belgium, Brazil, 
  Canada, Colombia, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France,Germany, Hong Kong, 
  Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico,the Netherlands, 
  New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain,Sweden, Switzerland, 
  UAE, the United Kingdom and the USA.


Cautionary statement

This Interim Management Statement (the "Report") has been prepared in
accordance with the Disclosure Rules and Transparency Rules of the UK Financial
Services Authority and is not audited. No representation or warranty, expressed
or implied, is or will be made in relation to the accuracy, fairness or
completeness of the information or opinions made in this Report. Statements in
this Report reflect the knowledge and information available at the time of its
preparation. Certain statements included or incorporated by reference within
this Report may constitute "forward-looking statements" in respect of the
Group's operations, performance, prospects and/or financial condition. By their
nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and
assumptions and actual results or events may differ materially from those
expressed or implied by those statements.  Accordingly, no assurance can be
given that any particular expectation will be met and reliance should not be
placed on any forward-looking statement.  Additionally, forward-looking
statements regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a
representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. The
information contained in this Report is subject to change without notice and no
responsibility or obligation is accepted to update or revise any
forward-looking statement resulting from new information, future events or
otherwise. Nothing in this Report should be construed as a profit forecast.
This Report does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to
sell, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for any shares
in the Company, nor shall it or any part of it or the fact of its distribution
form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or
commitment or investment decisions relating thereto, nor does it constitute a
recommendation regarding the shares of the Company or any invitation or
inducement to engage in investment activity under section 21 of the Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000. Past performance cannot be relied upon as a
guide to future performance. Liability arising from anything in this Report
shall be governed by English Law, and neither the Company nor any of its
affiliates, advisers or representatives shall have any liability whatsoever (in
negligence or otherwise) for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this
Report or its contents or otherwise arising in connection with this Report.
Nothing in this Report shall exclude any liability under applicable laws that
cannot be excluded in accordance with such laws.