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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Survey: Modest Hiring Expected in Q2, Staffing Remaining Stable

03/10/2010
There will be a moderate increase in hiring and more stability in employment levels in the second quarter of this year, and 12 of 13 industries surveyed offered up positive employment outlooks, according to a new Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

"We continue to see encouraging signs in hiring activity in the U.S.," said Manpower Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres. "Key industries such as manufacturing and construction are seeing notable improvements on a year-over-year basis."

"U.S. hiring activity is still in neutral, but revving toward first gear," said Jonas Prising, Manpower president of the Americas. "It's moving in the right direction, but it will take some time, with no major speed bumps, before it can accelerate."

Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed across the nation, 16 percent anticipate an increase in staff levels during Q2, while 8 percent expect a decrease in payrolls, resulting in a Net Employment Outlook of +8 percent.

Employers surveyed have a positive outlook: leisure & hospitality (+17 percent), professional & business services (+15 percent), mining (+11 percent), nondurable goods manufacturing (+9 percent), financial activities (+9 percent), durable goods manufacturing (+8 percent), information (+8 percent), transportation & Utilities (+8 percent), wholesale & retail trade (+7 percent), construction (+4 percent), other services (+4 percent) and education & health Services (+3 percent). The Q2 outlook is negative only for employers in government (-1 percent).

Of U.S. regions surveyed the northeast has the strongest outlook (+8 percent), followed by the south and west (+6 percent). The outlook in the midwest (+4 percent) is the weakest.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey's results are based on interviews with more than 18,000 employers.

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