As my team compiled the profiles of the Staffing 100 Europe honourees this year, what stood out was the industry’s “coming back” power. From a decline of 11% in 2020, SIA forecasts the global staffing market will grow by 12% in 2021. We further forecast many important staffing markets in Europe and Asia will grow by double digits in 2022.

While the pandemic is ongoing, the staffing industry is holding strong. As with previous recessions and disruptive technologies, the industry has evolved and survived. And that speaks to the leaders who have navigated the twists and turns of this economy and made sense of the magnitude of changes happening in the world of work.

Thank you to the Staffing 100 Europe class of 2021. The best and the brightest of the European market, listed in alphabetical order. We salute these torchbearers.

However, operating in today’s climate is not simple. Candidate ghosting is now a common and growing practice, writes John Nurthen, SIA’s executive director of global research. To begin with, every sector in every country is suffering from the blight of skills shortages. So, power has shifted from those offering work to those doing it and it’s going to be that way for the foreseeable future, he explains.

But it’s not all bleak news. Despite the pandemic-related reduction in revenue for the full year 2020, RPO continues to outperform the wider global staffing market, Global Workforce Solutions Research Manager Matt Norton tells us. He forecasts that for the full year 2021, the RPO market will grow by double digits, surpassing pre-pandemic levels as organisations seek to rebuild talent acquisition capability.

From a giant staffing firm CEO’s perspective on upskilling the world for a tech future to a discussion on how the courts and the governments are looking to curb problematic AI algorithms that impact employment, this magazine edition provides a range of perspectives that help you stay informed and competitive.

Come join us at our SIA conference in London in November. This is your opportunity to meet many of the Staffing 100 Europe and the SIA staff who can discuss the many facets of the future of work.