A field research on the determination of problems related to private employment agencies in Turkey and solution proposals

Private employment agencies perform an important function for the labor markets by bringing together individuals who seeking employment and employers who seeking workers. When considered from this point of view It can be said that private employment agencies beneficial in reducing unemployment and also have effects that increase employment. The history of private employment agencies goes back to very old times. Employment mediation activities which previously carried out by guilds and various professional organizations have progressed with the effect of globalization. The proliferation of flexible working forms, changes in the business structure, shrinking of state activities, the effort to reduce labor costs, the development in the services sector and the lack of public employment services have been effective in gaining importance of private employment agencies. For this reason, this study aims to offer solutions by determining the problems experienced in private employment agencies in our country. By examining the activities of private employment agencies and resolving problems in the sector, these agencies can play an active role in reducing unemployment and increasing employment. Private employment agencies operating in many countries in the world have many fields of activity such as career management, providing managers, providing human resources services and training activities. The structuring of private employment agencies varies from country to country. These differences arise from the legislation of the countries and the dynamics of the labor market. Private employment agencies gained legal status after 2000s in our country. Labour Law No. 4857 and Turkish Employment Agency Law no. 4904 are included regulations on private employment agencies. Along with the legal regulations regarding private employment agencies, private employment agencies started to operate in our country. The employment mediation service provided by the private employment agencies in our country has been evaluated within the framework of the opinions of six different groups, namely employers, private employment agencies, individuals who are employed, İŞKUR officials, labour inspectors and academicians. In the analysis section of the research, 77 people were interviewed in total, including 11 employers or human resources managers, 17 private employment agency managers or recruitment specialists, 35 individuals who employed through a private employment agency, 5 İŞKUR employees, 6 labour inspectors and 3 academics. By interviewing the parties, the problems experienced in this area, the benefits of private employment agencies, the problems arising from the law, and the disruptive aspects were determined. The interviews were analyzed through the MAXQDA 2020 qualitative data analysis program, and in-depth interview, participant observation and document analysis were used as research methods. As a result of the research, the problems experienced in our country in the sector of private employment agencies were reflected from the perspective of the six groups and practices from other countries have been used for solutions to these problems.