Hays reviews

3.6

65% would recommend to a friend

(5,743 total reviews)
avatar

Mark Dearnley

99% approve of CEO

51% positive business outlook

Hays has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 5,743 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Hays employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Recursos humanos industry (3.8 stars).

Reviews by job title

6K reviews
2.0
Jun 18, 2025

It WAS a great place to work

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I enjoyed the team that I was working with until everyone was fired and their roles moved to sourcing teams in India.

Cons

I had a highly disappointing experience working at Hays Recruitment. The company conducted layoffs in a manner that felt disrespectful to employees, showing little regard for their contributions. Promised promotion plans were abruptly canceled, leaving staff demotivated and uncertain about career progression. For three months, I was left without a reporting line. Additionally, I received zero commission for four months due to the absence of a director, severely impacting my earnings. This lack of leadership, poor communication, and disregard for employee well-being made my time at Hays deeply frustrating. All board directors for Ireland are gone basically, the whole team is unsure of what is happening.

1.0
Jun 4, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

None, they will break you down, treat you like it's 1970, racist and they discriminate

Cons

Not a good work culture environment, favour people that have been there for 20+ years and those who are already set up in their job it's all what you look like and who you know

1.0
May 30, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good clients and some friendly people

Cons

Working at Hays was one of the most frustrating professional experiences I’ve had. Senior management appear to have no strategic direction whatsoever. Their only advice? “Make money” — regardless of market conditions, desk potential, or client viability. There’s zero tailored guidance or support, just blanket pressure to bill, no matter how unrealistic the targets may be. Favoritism runs rampant. If you're not part of the inner circle, good luck getting any recognition or help. The culture is toxic, with leadership that can't even fill their own roles effectively but are somehow quick to question your performance. Expect to be micromanaged without being truly managed — lots of demands, very little help. The lack of actual leadership or strategic thinking makes it feel like you’re set up to fail. It’s a churn-and-burn environment masked as a meritocracy. Avoid unless you're desperate or thrive in dysfunction.

Viewing 136 - 138 of 5,743 Reviews

Glassdoor has 8,124 Hays reviews submitted anonymously by Hays employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Hays is right for you.