More than 28,000 employers were surveyed about their hiring plans for Quarter 3 2009. Fifteen percent anticipate an increase in their staff levels, while 13 percent expect a decrease in their payrolls. Sixty-seven percent of employers surveyed expect no change in their July - September hiring plans, and 5 percent of employers indicated they were undecided about their hiring intentions.
"The data shows continued hesitancy among employers," said Jonas Prising, president of the Americas for Manpower Inc. "They are treading slowly and watching with guarded optimism, hoping a few quarters of stability will be the precursor to the recovery."
The national survey data shows employers in seven of the 13 sectors surveyed expect hiring to remain relatively stable in Q3 2009 as compared to Q2 2009. Employers in Construction and Wholesale & Retail Trade anticipate moderate increases, while Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing and Leisure & Hospitality employers expect a slight increase in hiring activity compared to the second quarter.
Employers in two sectors surveyed, Education & Health Services and Government, anticipate a slight decrease in hiring compared to three months ago. Employers in Durable Goods Manufacturing; Transportation & Utilities; Information; Financial Activities; Professional & Business Services; and Other Services sector employers will keep hiring levels relatively stable for the third quarter.
The West has a weaker Outlook compared to Q2 2009, while all regions have a weaker Outlook compared to one year ago at this time. Employer optimism about hiring is relatively stable in the South, Northeast and Midwest.
