Hays invests to capitalise on homeworking boom

The inevitable cut-back in hiring activity and weaker confidence among employers following the coronavirus outbreak led Hays (HAS) to report an 11 per cent decline in net fees over the year to June. There was a natural correlation between the severity of lockdown measures introduced in each market and the downturn in fee income, evidenced by a 44 per cent contraction in France during the fourth quarter.