Monthly Archives: March 2010

Today, Manpower Inc. released the results of its 2nd Quarter 2010 Employment Outlook Survey.

For the Des Moines-West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area, hiring intentions are slightly better than they were in the first quarter of the year, and significantly stronger than they were at this time last year, as 17% of employers surveyed plan to add staff, while 9% plan to decrease staff levels.  No change in staffing is anticipated by 72%, and 2% of employers are unsure what direction their hiring activity will take.  In addition to the 2% increase in the net percentage over 1st Quarter, I also find it interesting that the overall percentage of employers who don’t know what they’re going to do seems to be decreasing.  Perhaps that’s at least indicative of a greater level of confidence in forecasting by hiring managers.

For the upcoming quarter, job prospects appear best in Durable Goods Manufacturing, Nondurable Goods Manufacturing, Transportation & Utilities, Information, Financial Activities, Professional & Business Services and Leisure & Hospitality.

Employers in Wholesale & Retail Trade, Education & Health Services and Government plan to reduce staffing levels, while hiring in Construction and Other Services is expected to remain unchanged.
Of the 18,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 16% expect to increase their staff levels during the second quarter, while 8% expect to reduce their payrolls. Seventy-three percent expect no change in hiring, and 3% are undecided about their Quarter 2 2010 hiring plans.  To see the full U.S. report – click here…
The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released on June 8, 2010 to report hiring expectations for Quarter 3 2010.