In the United States, employers plan to tone down hiring activity during the second quarter of 2007, according to the seasonally adjusted results of the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, conducted quarterly by Manpower Inc.
“A look at the last three quarters of survey data suggests that employers are shifting into neutral when it comes to hiring,” said Jeffrey A. Joerres, chairman & CEO of Manpower Inc. “Companies expect to coast through the next three months without much growth in the way of staff. It is a subtle change that may not yet be perceived in the job market, however it is a break from the three plus years of nearly unchanged hiring plans.”
Of the 14,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 28% expect to increase payrolls during the second quarter of 2007, while 7% expect to trim staff levels. Fifty-nine percent expect no change in the hiring pace, and 6% are undecided about their hiring plans. The seasonally adjusted survey results show that employers are more likely to maintain or reduce staffing activity rather than ramp-up hiring.
Employers in Durable and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, Education and Public Administration sectors express similar hiring intentions for the first and second quarters of 2007. Mining, Construction, Wholesale/Retail Trade and Services employers are less confident about hiring than they were in the first quarter, while Transportation/Public Utilities and Finance/Insurance/Real Estate hiring managers foresee improved job prospects during the spring months.
“A look at the shifts within the industry sectors brings context to the hiring pause expected in the second quarter,” said Jonas Prising, President of Manpower North America. “During the last year, hiring intentions among Construction employers steadily declined to early 2004 levels, such that second quarter results are among the weakest of the 10 industry sectors.”
