After a large decline in March, economic confidence levels among U.S. workers rebounded slightly in April, according to a recent survey of 3,190 working adults. The Spherion(R) Employee Confidence Index, a monthly gauge of overall worker confidence, increased 0.7 points to 57.8 in April. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive(R) on behalf of Spherion Corporation, shows that workers remained confident about the future of their current employers and personal job prospects, but also revealed over one-third (35 percent) intend to seek new jobs within the next year.



Driving the rise in overall optimism, the percentage of workers who believe the economy is strengthening increased two percentage points from 17 percent in March to 19 percent in April. In addition, more workers are confident about the future of their current employer, which rose three percentage points from last month to 66 percent.

"The national unemployment rate continues to hover around 4.5 percent and last month the unemployment rate for professionals was the lowest since 2001, at 1.7 percent," said Roy Krause, president and chief executive officer of Spherion. "The job market has remained relatively strong throughout the first part of the year, despite other economic concerns such as the recent housing slump and rising energy costs. Though the overall outlook has improved in recent weeks, workers are still feeling the economic affects of the housing decline and higher prices for food and fuel. The one area that the vast majority of workers continue to feel secure is in their current jobs and I believe that continued job growth and historically low unemployment rates are fortifying that security. This may help explain the increased discrepancy between last month's macroeconomic and personal confidence indices."

Results from the April Spherion Employment Report:

Employee Confidence Index: Overall Worker Confidence Inches Up

Slightly rebounding from declining in March, the Employee Confidence Index increased 0.7 points to 57.8 in April. The Index, which measures workers' confidence in their personal employment situation and optimism in the macroeconomic environment, increased slightly as more workers were optimistic about the economy, job availability and the future of their employer. The Index is 0.4 points higher than the level reported in April 2006.

- Macroeconomic Confidence Index Increases Slightly: The Macroeconomic Confidence Index increased 0.2 points to 41.2 in April, as more workers reported optimism in job availability and the strength of the economy. The Index level is 0.3 points lower than a year ago.

Specific findings from the Macroeconomic Confidence Index include:

- 25 percent of U.S. adult workers believe that more jobs are available, up one percentage point from the previous month
- 19 percent of U.S. adult workers believe the economy is getting stronger, rising two percentage points from March

- Personal Confidence Index Rises: The Personal Confidence Index rose 1.3 points to 74.5 in April, as more workers were confident in the future of their current employer. The Index is 1.2 points higher than the level recorded in April 2006.

Specific findings from the Personal Confidence Index include:

- 66 percent of U.S. adult workers feel confident in the future of their current employer, compared to 63 percent in the previous month
- 57 percent of U.S. adult workers have confidence in their own ability to find a new job, a one-percentage-point decrease from March

Job Security Index: Worker Confidence in Their Job Security Decreases Slightly

- 78 percent of the U.S. workforce believes that it is unlikely that they will lose their jobs in the next twelve months. The Job Security Index is two percentage points lower than the previous month and is two percentage points higher than one year ago.

Job Transition Index: 35 Percent of Workers Plan to Look for New Jobs

- The Job Transition Index increased by two percentage points to 35 percent in April. The Index is three percentage points lower than the level registered in April 2006.