Several signs point to a brighter labor market in Sweden. The job placement organization TSL reports a clear decrease in laid-off workers seeking help, and it is becoming easier to find new jobs.
During the fourth quarter, the number of laid-off workers applying for help from TSL decreased by 21 percent, to 5,000 people compared to 6,300 in the same period last year. The decline is particularly noticeable among employees in the construction sector, retail, and staffing agencies, which often signals an improving economy.
Bankruptcies have also decreased slightly. “After several years, we now see clearer signs of stabilization,” says TSL CEO Caroline Söder in a comment.
TSL assists laid-off workers in blue-collar jobs with finding new employment. For those with a relatively recent connection to the labor market, it is relatively easy to return, and the process is faster now than a year ago according to the organization's statistics. More than nine out of ten find new employment within a year of being laid off.