U.S. Employers to Bolster Staff During Q4

September 13, 2010 – U.S. employers anticipate a slight gain in employment levels for Q4 2010, the fourth successive quarter of modest to favorable hiring plans, according to the global Manpower Employment Outlook Survey results released by Manpower Inc. Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed, 15 percent anticipate an increase in staff levels in their forth quarter hiring plans, while 11 percent expect a decrease in payrolls, resulting in a net employment outlook of four percent. When seasonally adjusted, the net employment outlook improves slightly to five percent. Seventy-one percent of employers expect no change in their hiring plans. The final three percent of employers indicate they are undecided about their hiring intentions. “Clearly there are signs of a softening labor market, but when we consider what we are hearing from our clients and by looking at our own business, there is reason to be cautiously optimistic,” said Manpower chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres. “The hiring intentions for the fourth quarter are not enough to break through the labor market sound barrier that we're all eagerly anticipating, as 71 percent of employers indicate no change in hiring.” Employers in 11 of the 13 industry sectors surveyed have a positive outlook for Q4: mining (+13 percent), wholesale & retail trade (+13 percent), professional & business services (+10 percent), leisure & hospitality (+ nine percent), durable goods manufacturing (+ seven percent), information (+ seven percent), nondurable goods manufacturing (+ six percent), financial activities (+ four percent), education & health services (+ four), other services (+ three percent) and transportation & utilities (+ two percent).