Survey Points to Positive Hiring Trend

A press release said the results mark three straight quarters of positive survey findings. Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed, 18% anticipate an increase in staff levels in their Quarter 3 2010 hiring plans, while 8% expect a decrease in payrolls, resulting in a Net Employment Outlook of +10%. 

Seventy percent of employers expect no change in their hiring plans, while 4% of employers indicate they are undecided about their hiring intentions.   

Employers provided a seasonally adjusted Outlook of +6%, up from -2% during the same period last year. Ninety-eight percent of U.S. states have a positive hiring Outlook and 95 of the nation’s 100 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas have a positive Outlook for Quarter 3 2010.   

“Manpower’s survey results show a positive trend in employers’ hiring plans,” said Jonas Prising, Manpower president of the Americas, in the press release. “Although we are still facing a difficult labor market, more employers indicate confidence about the direction of their businesses, and with that comes an intention to increase their workforces. We are in the early stages of the jobs recovery, and although we have a long way to go, the job market will continue to improve from here.”   

Employers in 11 of the 13 industry sectors surveyed have a positive Outlook for Quarter 3 2010: Leisure & Hospitality (+20%), Mining (+17%), Professional & Business Services (+15%), Wholesale & Retail Trade (+15%), Nondurable Goods Manufacturing (+12%), Financial Activities (+11%), Information (+10), Durable Goods Manufacturing (+9%), Transportation & Utilities (+9%), Construction (+8%) and Other Services (+8%). The July – September Outlook is -2% for both Education & Health Services and Government.   

Compared to one year ago, employers in all four U.S. geographic regions surveyed anticipate hiring increases. Employers in the Northeast indicate a Net Employment Outlook of +9%. When adjusting for seasonal variations, Midwest employers report the strongest shift for Quarter 3 2010, with a considerable increase in confidence year-over-year and a slight increase quarter-over-quarter. Compared to Quarter 2 2010, employment prospects are stable in the Northeast and South, while slightly slackening in the West.   

The complete results and visuals from the U.S. national Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, as well as survey results for the 100 MSAs, 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico, are available for download at http://press.manpower.com/.