Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Paints Familiar Picture for U.S. Hiring Plans in Quarter 1 2008
11 December 2007 - 4:01PM
PR Newswire (US)
U.S. Employers Expect to Ring in the New Year with the Same Steady
Hiring Pace MILWAUKEE, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Employers
in the U.S. plan to maintain a steady approach toward hiring during
the first quarter of 2008, according to the seasonally adjusted
results of the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey conducted
quarterly by Manpower Inc. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060221/CGTU012LOGO) "Our
survey data suggests it will be a solid start to the year when it
comes to hiring in the United States," said Jeffrey A. Joerres,
Chairman & CEO of Manpower Inc. "Overall, employers anticipate
only marginal changes compared to three months ago, with the
brightest job prospects reported by employers in the Mining and
Services sectors. On the other hand, finding job opportunities in
the Construction and Education sectors is expected to be more
challenging for job seekers." Of the 14,000 U.S. employers
surveyed, 22% expect to add to their payrolls during the first
quarter of 2008, while 12% expect to reduce staff levels. Sixty
percent expect no change in the hiring pace, and 6% are undecided
about their January - March hiring plans. The seasonally adjusted
survey results show that hiring activity is expected to maintain or
increase in half of the industry sectors compared to the fourth
quarter of 2007. Hiring expectations are stable in the Durable
Goods Manufacturing, Wholesale/Retail Trade and
Finance/Insurance/Real Estate sectors, while Mining and
Transportation/Public Utilities employers expect a slight uptick.
Employers in the Construction, Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing,
Education, Services and Public Administration sectors report a
decline in hiring confidence. "Looking at the industry sectors,
hiring plans are relatively stable from three months ago and just
slightly softer compared to last year at this time," said Jonas
Prising, President of Manpower North America. "You might say that
employers are getting one less latte a week -- but they are still
going to the coffee shop regularly." At the regional level, there
are minimal changes in hiring expectations compared to the fourth
quarter of 2007. Employers in the Northeast, South and West project
similar employment activity levels, while those in the Midwest
anticipate slightly weaker hiring conditions during the next three
months. Among survey participants, those in the West are the most
confident about hiring, and those in Northeast are least
optimistic. In addition to the United States, the Manpower
Employment Outlook Survey is conducted in 26 other countries and
territories. The quarterly report from Manpower Inc. is the most
extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world,
gathering data from nearly 52,000 employers across the globe each
quarter. All reports are based on seasonally adjusted data, where
available. Optimism in the global labor market is varied, with
employers in 16 of 27 countries and territories indicating softer
hiring plans compared to one year ago, but improved job prospects
quarter-over-quarter in 12 countries and territories. German and
Indian employers anticipate a continued positive hiring pace,
although slightly slower than three months ago. The strongest first
quarter hiring prospects reported globally were in Peru, Singapore,
India, Argentina, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, South Africa, Australia,
Japan and Norway. Meanwhile, Irish employers reported the weakest
hiring plans globally. Of the countries surveyed in Europe,
employers in Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Sweden and
the UK are forecasting the brightest first quarter hiring plans.
Conversely, employers in Ireland are forecasting the weakest hiring
pace in four years. With the exceptions of Argentina and Canada,
hiring activity is expected to slow slightly in the first quarter
among the countries surveyed in the Americas. Employers in Peru,
Argentina and Costa Rica are most optimistic about hiring in the
next three months. Mexican employers continue to report a healthy
outlook, similar to that of the first quarter 2007, while the pace
of hiring in the U.S. is expected to be slightly weaker compared to
one year ago. Interestingly, Canadian employers anticipate the
strongest first quarter hiring activity in seven years. Although
hiring activity in the eight countries and territories surveyed
across the Asia Pacific region is expected to be positive,
employers in Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and
Taiwan indicate they will slow the pace of hiring compared to last
year at this time. However, Net Employment Outlooks improved from
three months ago in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. The
strongest hiring plans were reported in Singapore and India, while
employers in Taiwan and China reported the weakest hiring
expectations in the region. The next Manpower Employment Outlook
Survey will be released on March 11, 2008, to report hiring
expectations for the second quarter of 2008. About the Survey
Employment services company Manpower Inc. releases the Manpower
Employment Outlook Survey quarterly to measure employers'
intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their
workforce during the next quarter. It is the only forward-looking
survey of its kind, unparalleled in size, scope, longevity and area
of focus. The survey has been administered for more than 40 years
and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment activity in
the world. A highly respected economic indicator, the Manpower
Employment Outlook Survey reports on findings from 27 countries and
territories around the world. The U.S. results are based on
interviews with more than 14,000 public and private employers in
460 market areas across the country.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060221/CGTU012LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Manpower Inc. CONTACT: Mary
Ann Campbell of Manpower Inc., +1-414-906-7320, Web site:
http://www.manpower.com/
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