Employers expect to hire during 1st quarter of 2010

U.S. employers anticipate a moderate increase in their hiring plans for the 1st quarter of 2010, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, which is conducted quarterly by staffing company Manpower Inc. Of the more than 28,000 employers surveyed, 12% anticipate an increase in staff levels in their hiring plans, while 12% expect a decrease in payrolls. 73% of employers expect no change in their hiring plans, the highest in the survey’s history. The final 3% of employers indicate they are undecided about their hiring intentions.
“There is still a lot of ground to make up in the labor market, but the overall increase in hiring intentions is clearly a positive," said Manpower chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres. “The 1st quarter is a seasonally slow hiring quarter. To see an increase over the 4th quarter is unusual and seems to indicate increased confidence levels from employers.”