MILWAUKEE, Oct. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, says the private employment services industry enhances economic growth, strengthens labor markets and provides honorable, decent work for individuals in the new post-recession reality of the Human Age.

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A new global report released today by Ciett, the international confederation of private employment agencies, titled "Adapting to Change," illustrates the positive role played by private employment services in this new era of volatility and complexity where continuing economic uncertainty, high unemployment, shifting demographics, ongoing skills mismatches and macro-economic shocks present labor markets and employers with unprecedented challenges.

"In a world where labor markets are global, governments are local and talent is mobile, the employment services industry offers all stakeholders the value and flexibility they need to strengthen economies and empower individuals," said David Arkless, ManpowerGroup President of Corporate and Government Affairs. "The industry is extremely undervalued and often misunderstood; ManpowerGroup works tirelessly to elevate the image of our industry and be recognized for our mission to connect people to work in the most human of ways and for the services and solutions that we offer to connect employers with that hard-to-find talent, providing the speed and solutions they need to win."

The Ciett report, produced jointly with the Boston Consulting Group, says that in an era of global labor markets, the private employment services sector is an effective intermediary because it has insight into finding and assessing talent in multiple geographies for companies who do not have the tools to do this themselves. Evidence of this statement, ManpowerGroup has the largest global footprint in the industry, with a presence in over 80 countries and territories and unparalleled local expertise.

While the private employment services industry has been criticized over the perception that it has caused a structural change in economies contributing to unemployment and underemployment, the Ciett report found that 74% of user organizations would not consider hiring permanent workers as an alternative to taking on agency workers and 60% of them would not have created jobs if they had no access to private employment services.

The reality is that our industry spurs job creation; we help people get back to work by matching their skills with the employers who need them," added Arkless. "As some sectors have declined and others grown, we assist industry migrants with transitions to new careers by providing training and development, as well as helping young people — who are increasingly marginalized in labor markets around the world — gain valuable skills and experience to make them more appealing to potential employers.

"Many of our innovative initiatives are targeted specifically to help individuals who have only limited opportunities to participate in the labor market such as those with disabilities, certain cultural groups and women in some markets, increasing labor market participation. This makes more people employable at a time of worsening talent shortages and provides decent work to those who otherwise would be vulnerable to exploitation via illegal work."

A properly-regulated industry is important to protect individuals from being abused, but some legislation can be counter-productive and negatively impact the competitiveness of labor markets, restricting the flexibility organizations need in the new post-recession reality and limiting opportunities for individuals who similarly seek flexibility.

The industry has grown in sophistication in recent years and whereas in the past firms used private employment companies to provide emergency cover for vacations and maternity leave, organizations like ManpowerGroup are increasingly functioning as an extension of human resources departments providing expert counsel as well as services to organizations and governments and helping individuals build their careers.

"The solutions ManpowerGroup provides are increasingly complex and innovative," said Jeffrey A. Joerres, ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO. "We solve business and labor problems in the role of strategic advisers, help businesses expand into new markets, track trends to help align business needs with the skills available in the marketplace and provide individuals with a diversity of work opportunities they look for in an era when individual choice is king. This all adds up to a very strong product that has immense value and will be in greater demand as all these global trends intensify."

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup™ (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, creates and delivers high-impact solutions that enable our clients to achieve their business goals and enhance their competitiveness. With over 60 years of experience, our $22 billion company creates unique time to value through a comprehensive suite of innovative solutions that help clients win in the Human Age. These solutions cover an entire range of talent-driven needs from recruitment and assessment, training and development, and career management, to outsourcing and workforce consulting. ManpowerGroup maintains the world's largest and industry-leading network of nearly 3,900 offices in over 80 countries and territories, generating a dynamic mix of an unmatched global footprint with valuable insight and local expertise to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year, across all industry sectors, small and medium-sized enterprises, local, multinational and global companies. By connecting our deep understanding of human potential to the ambitions of clients, ManpowerGroup helps the organizations and individuals we serve achieve more than they imagined — because their success leads to our success. And by creating these powerful connections, we create power that drives organizations forward, accelerates personal success and builds more sustainable communities. We help power the world of work. The ManpowerGroup suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup™ Solutions, Manpower®, Experis™ and Right Management®. Learn more about how the ManpowerGroup can help you win in the Human Age at www.manpowergroup.com.

ManpowerGroup is the most trusted brand in the industry, being the only company in our industry to be named to the Ethisphere Institute's 2011 World's Most Ethical Companies list for our proven commitment to ethical business practices, including an outstanding commitment to ethical leadership, compliance practices and corporate social responsibility. In addition, ManpowerGroup has also been recognized as the industry leader by Fortune magazine, who named the company in first place on its 2011 list of the Most Admired Companies in the temporary help sector.

In January 2011, at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, ManpowerGroup announced the world has entered the Human Age, where talent has replaced capital as the key competitive differentiator. Learn more about this new age at www.manpowergroup.com/humanage

Gain access to ManpowerGroup's extensive thought leadership papers, annual Talent Shortage surveys and the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, one of the most trusted indices of employment activity in the world, via the ManpowerGroup World of Work Insight iPad application. This thought leadership app explores the challenges faced by employers navigating the changing world of work and provides in-depth commentary, analysis, insight and advice on strategies for success.  

Follow ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres on Twitter: twitter.com/manpowergroupjj. Joerres is one of only six Fortune 500 CEOs who leverages a Twitter account to get his message out.

SOURCE ManpowerGroup