Aside from this, showing a strong rebound in this month's report was workers confidence in their personal prospects. The survey indicates that 65 percent of workers expressed confidence in the future of their current employer, an increase of two percentage points since January and more than half (51 percent) of workers were confident in their ability to find a new job, an increase of one percentage point from the previous month.
The survey also showed that 78 percent of workers believe their jobs are secure, an increase of one percentage point from January and 36 percent of workers plan to change jobs in the near future, a drop of two percentage points. "A few things became apparent from this month's report. Clearly, there are lingering concerns about the economy and job market that have impacted the overall Confidence Index. However, the bright spot out of all of this is that workers have a much more positive outlook on their own employment prospects. In fact, overall personal confidence hit a four-month high in February," said Roy Krause, president and chief executive officer of Spherion Corporation.
Krause continued, "While job growth has slowed significantly in the past six months, we're still seeing demand for skilled talent, especially in professional jobs. This search for expertise is not exclusive to one demographic area, either. There is a twofold challenge companies are facing today. Not only is there a smaller percentage of skilled workers entering the workforce, but baby boomers are also making an exit at the very same time and taking their skills and experience with them. The ability of employers to attract new workers and transfer the knowledge of exiting employees will be a defining success factor. Regardless of the macroeconomic situation, today's top workers have very specific needs and desires and only the most innovative employers that offer a wide range of growth opportunities along with work/life balance options will come out on top in the very real war for talent."
Details of the Index:
Macroeconomic Confidence:
- Thirteen percent of U.S. adult workers believe there are more jobs available, compared to 16 percent in the previous month
- The percentage of U.S. adult workers who believe the economy is getting stronger decreased three percentage points to six percent in February
Personal Confidence:
- Sixty-five percent of U.S. adult workers feel confident in the future of their current employer, an increase of two percentage points from January
- The percentage of U.S. adult workers confident in their own ability to find a new job rose one percentage point to 53 percent in February
Job Security: More Workers Believe it is Unlikely They will Lose Their Job
- Seventy-eight percent of U.S. workers believe that it is unlikely that they will lose their jobs in the next twelve months, an increase of one percentage point from January
Job Transition: Fewer Workers Likely to Look for a New Job
- Thirty-six percent of workers are likely to look for a new job in the next twelve months, down two percentage points from last month
