Hours recover

382 words ~ 2-minute read

• US hours stabilize

• UK temps surge

• TrueBlue’s hard no

1️⃣ US hours stabilize

Breaking: US staffing hours rebounded 2.4% week-over-week ending May 3rd, driven primarily by commercial staffing's 2.8% surge as spring break effects fade.

By the numbers:

• Commercial hours down 3% year-over-year

• Professional hours declined 8% annually

• Sequential growth as seasonal impacts wane

Reality check: While employers continue holding workers post-pandemic, demand remains constrained amid trade policy uncertainty.

The bottom line: Staffing industry shows resilience despite ongoing headwinds from tariffs and economic uncertainty.

📶 Signal → Strategy: Review your client account segmentation to identify those in commercial sectors showing growth. Shift recruiter capacity toward these segments and prepare contingency plans for potential tariff impacts on manufacturing clients.

Go deeper: Bullhorn Staffing Industry Indicator

2️⃣ UK temps surge

The big picture: UK temporary workforce jumped 7.4% while unemployment climbed to 4.5% in Q1 2025 — the highest jobless rate since summer 2021.

By the numbers:

• Unemployment rate: 4.5% (Jan-Mar 2025)

• Regular pay growth: 5.6% annually

• Job vacancies: Down 42,000 to 761,000

• Payrolled employees: Fell 53,000 in quarter

Behind the shift: Over-50s re-entering workforce could help address productivity crisis, experts suggest.

Market reality: UK wage growth slowed as businesses braced for national insurance hikes effective April 2025.

The bottom line: UK labor market faces dual challenge of rising unemployment and growing temp workforce demand.

📶 Signal → Strategy: Develop targeted campaigns to reach the growing pool of over-50s re-entering the workforce. Create a quick-win strategy that positions your firm to capitalize on the 7.4% temp surge, particularly in industries adapting to the April national insurance changes.

Go deeper: ONS Employment Bulletin

3️⃣ TrueBlue’s hard no

Breaking: TrueBlue's board unanimously rejected HireQuest's unsolicited $7.50 per share acquisition offer, calling it opportunistic and undervalued.

Deal dynamics:

• HireQuest's bid: $7.50/share (61% premium to close)

• Previous rejected offer: $12.30/share in February

• TrueBlue revenue: $1.57B (2024)

• HireQuest systemwide sales: $563.6M (2024)

Market reaction: TrueBlue stock surged 21% on rejection news despite still trading below 52-week high.

Strategic context: "HireQuest's proposal...significantly undervalues the business and its potential," TrueBlue stated.

The bottom line: Power struggle highlights consolidation pressures in industrial staffing sector.

📶 Signal → Strategy: Conduct a competitive landscape assessment in your market segment. Identify potential M&A targets or defensive positioning strategies.

Go deeper: Full rejection statement