Trading Statement

14 June 2007

                                   HAYS PLC                                    
                                                                               
                                TRADING UPDATE                                 

Hays plc, the Specialist Recruitment Group, will announce its preliminary
results for the year ending 30 June 2007 on 4 September 2007.

Since the announcement of the interim results in February, the business has
generated strong levels of growth with headline and like-for-like* net fees in
the second half of the financial year expected to be approximately 19% ahead of
the same period last year.

The business continues to see contrasting conditions between the market for
temporary staff and the market for permanent staff. The Group is expecting
continued excellent net fee growth in the permanent market of approximately
35%, and solid net fee growth of approximately 7% in the temporary market in
the second half year, versus the same period last year. Our temporary business
margin has remained stable throughout the second half of the year at the rate
at which we exited the first half.

Net fee growth by region

In the UK & Ireland, headline net fees for the second half are expected to be
approximately 13% ahead of the same period last year (approximately 12% on a
like-for-like basis*). This represents an improvement in growth versus the
first half of the year with much of the improvement resulting from our
increased investment in consultants and the actions taken in the first half of
the financial year.

The international operations have continued to produce excellent growth. In
Asia Pacific, headline net fees for the second half are expected to be
approximately 35% ahead of the same period last year (approximately 34% on a
like-for-like basis*) with an outstanding performance in both the permanent and
temporary placement businesses.

In Continental Europe & Rest of World, headline net fees for the second half
are expected to be approximately 33% ahead of the same period last year
(approximately 37% on a like-for-like basis*) with a strong performance across
all countries. In this region, ten countries are expected to achieve net fee
growth of more than 25% in the second half.

Summary

Overall, the Group's performance for the year ending 30 June 2007 continues to
be in line with the Board's expectations with operating profit leverage in the
permanent placement business being offset by the reduction in the UK temporary
margin referred to in the interim results.

Share buy-back programme

The Company has continued with its share buy-back programme. Since 1 July 2006,
the Company has purchased 31.0 million shares at a cost of £46.9 million.

Hays intends to enter into an irrevocable non-discretionary arrangement to
enable the repurchase of its own shares during its close period. Any share
purchases will be effected within certain pre-set parameters, and in accordance
with both the Company's general authority to repurchase shares and the listing
rules.

*Note : like-for-like is organic growth at constant currency. It does not
adjust for the number of trading days in the period.

                                   - ends -                                    

Enquiries

Hays plc                                                                     
                                                                             
Paul Venables                Finance Director       + 44 (0) 20 7628 9999    
                                                                             
Martin Abell                 Investor Relations     + 44 (0) 20 7628 9999    
                                                                             
Brunswick                                                                    
                                                                             
Gill Ackers/Alexa von Wietzlow                     + 44 (0) 20 7404 5959    
                                                                     

Conference call

Paul Venables and Martin Abell of Hays plc will conduct a conference call for
analysts and investors at 9:00am United Kingdom time on Thursday 14 June 2007.
The dial in details are as follows:

Dial-in number                                      [phone]     
                                                                             
The call will be recorded and available for playback for seven days as       
follows:                                                                     
                                                                             
Replay dial-in number                               [phone]     
                                                                             
Access code                                         3437342#                 

Note to editors

Hays plc is focused on specialist recruitment with revenues of £1.8 billion per
annum. The Group employs 6,410 staff in 359 offices and provides specialist
recruitment services in 824 business units across 24 countries.

Hays plc is the market leader in specialist recruitment in the UK and in
Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe.