Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Projects a Weak Hiring Pace for Q4 2009
September 07 2009 - 11:01PM
PR Newswire (US)
Majority of Employers Plan to Maintain Staff Levels Through
Year-End MILWAUKEE, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. employers plan to
keep their staffing levels relatively stable during Quarter 4 2009,
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)
"The hiring intentions of U.S. companies continue to be sluggish,"
said Manpower Inc. Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres. "While there are
areas within the U.S. which are showing an uptick, we have yet to
see the robust hiring intentions that would indicate a full labor
market recovery." Of the more than 28,000 employers surveyed, a
significant 69% expect no change in their October - December hiring
plans. Twelve percent anticipate an increase in staff levels, while
14% expect a decrease in payrolls, resulting in a Net Employment
Outlook of -2%. After seasonal adjustment, the Net Employment
Outlook becomes -3%, the weakest in the history of the survey,
which began in 1962. The final 5% of employers indicated they were
undecided about their hiring intentions. "Despite some moderating
signs, such as the considerable number of employers that plan to
maintain or increase staff levels, there will continue to be
challenges for both job seekers and employers in the coming
months," said Jonas Prising, Manpower president of the Americas.
"Hiring in the Wholesale & Retail Trade sector, for instance,
is expected to be down in the fourth quarter, suggesting that
employers will not be adding the quantity of holiday hires they
have in the past." The national survey data shows employers in the
Mining, Information, Financial Activities and Other Services
industry sectors expect hiring to remain relatively stable in
Quarter 4 2009 when compared to Quarter 3 2009. Employers in the
Durable and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, Wholesale & Retail
Trade and Government sectors anticipate a slight decrease in hiring
levels. Transportation & Utilities and Professional &
Business Services employers predict a moderate decrease, while
those in the Construction and Leisure & Hospitality sectors
indicate considerably weaker hiring plans when compared to Quarter
3 2009. Education & Health Services employers anticipate a
modest increase in hiring activity for Quarter 4 2009. All of the
survey regions have considerably weaker employment outlooks
compared to one year ago at this time. In comparison to the third
quarter, the seasonally adjusted data reveals the Northeast has the
weakest Outlook, the West and Midwest are relatively stable, and
the South shows a slight increase in employer optimism. 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 Manpower Employment Outlook Survey's United States
results are based on interviews with more than 28,000 employers
located within 200 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), as
defined by the federal government, and one MSA in Puerto Rico. The
mix of U.S. industries within the survey follows the North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS) Supersectors and is
structured to be representative of the U.S. economy. The national
survey carries a margin of error of +/- .49%. The complete results
and visuals from the U.S. national Manpower Employment Outlook
Survey are available for download at
http://www.us.manpower.com/meos, where you will also find the
survey results for the 201 MSAs. Manpower Inc. 2009 All rights
reserved. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060221/CGTU012LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Manpower CONTACT: Juan
Carlos Cruz of Manpower Inc., +1-414-906-6253, Web Site:
http://www.us.manpower.com/
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