Category Archives: Workforce Statistics

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey

Posted on June 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

Strong Job Market Expected for Iowa 

June 14, 2011 - Employers inIowa expect to hire at a healthy pace during the third quarter of 2011, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

 From July to September, 23% of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 8% expect to reduce their payrolls. Another 66% expect to maintain their current staff levels and 3% are not certain of their hiring plans. This yields a Net Employment Outlook* of 15%.

 ”The Quarter 3 2011 survey results point toward improved hiring plans compared to Quarter 2 2011 when the Net Employment Outlook was 10%,” said Manpower spokesperson Sunny Ackerman. “Compared to one year ago when the Net Employment Outlook was 19%, employers are less confident about their staffing plans.”

For the coming quarter, job prospects appear best in Construction, Durable and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, Transportation & Utilities, Wholesale & Retail Trade, Information, Professional & Business Services, Leisure & Hospitality and Other Services. Employers in Financial Activities and Education & Health Services plan to reduce staffing levels, while hiring in Government is expected to remain unchanged.

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Results for the United States

Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed in the United States, 20% anticipate an increase in staff levels in their Quarter 3 2011 hiring plans, while 8% expect a decrease in payrolls, resulting in a Net Employment Outlook of +12%. When seasonally adjusted, the Net Employment Outlook becomes +8%. Sixty-nine percent of employers expect no change in their hiring plans. The remaining 3% of employers indicate they are undecided about their hiring intentions.

To view results for Metropolitan Statistical areas surveyed within Iowa, visit http://press.manpower.com.

The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released on September 13, 2011 to report hiring expectations for Quarter 4 2011.

About the Survey

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers’ intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforces during the next quarter. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey’sUnited Statesresults are based on interviews with 18,000 employers located in the 50 states, theDistrict of ColumbiaandPuerto Rico, which includes the largest 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas based on number of business establishments. The mix of industries within the survey follows the North American Industry Classification System Supersectors and is structured to be representative of theU.S.economy. 

The complete results of the national Manpower Employment Outlook Survey can be found in the Press Room of our website at http://press.manpower.com. There you will also find the results for the 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas surveyed, the 50 states, theDistrict of ColumbiaandPuerto Rico. Questions can be directed to press@na.manpower.com.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Employment, Manpower Inc., Manpower News, Workforce News, Workforce Statistics, World of Work

Tagged , , , , ,

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey

Posted on March 8, 2011 | Leave a comment

Mild Job Market Expected for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA

March 8, 2011 - Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA employers expect to hire at a conservative pace during Quarter 2 2011, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. Among survey participants, the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA employment outlook is one of the weakest in the nation.

From April to June, 12% of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 11% expects to cut staff. Another 76% expect to maintain their current staff levels and 1% are not certain of their hiring plans. This yields a Net Employment Outlook* of 1%.

“Employers are similarly confident about hiring plans for the second quarter of 2011 compared to Quarter 1 when the Net Employment Outlook was 2%,” said Manpower spokesperson Karen Miller. “Employers foresee weaker staffing plans compared with one year ago, when the Net Employment Outlook was 8%.

Summary of Results for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA

 

For the coming quarter, job prospects appear best in Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, Transportation & Utilities, Information, Professional & Business Services, Leisure & Hospitality and Other Services. Employers in Construction, Durable Goods Manufacturing, Wholesale & Retail Trade, Education & Health Services and Government plan to reduce staffing levels, while Financial Activities employers report no change in hiring sentiment.

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Results for the United  States 

Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed in the United States, 16% anticipate an increase in staff levels in their Quarter 2 2011 hiring plans, while 6% expect a decrease in payrolls, resulting in a Net Employment Outlook of +10%. When seasonally adjusted, the Net Employment Outlook becomes +8%. Seventy-four percent of employers expect no change in their hiring plans. The remaining 4% of employers indicate they are undecided about their hiring intentions.

The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released on June 14, 2011 to report hiring expectations for Quarter 3 2011.

 About the Survey

Manpower Inc., an innovative workforce solutions company, releases the global Manpower Employment Outlook Survey quarterly to measure employers’ intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforce during the next quarter. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey’s United States results are based on interviews with 18,000 employers located in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, which includes the largest 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas based on number of business establishments. The mix of industries within the survey follows the North American Industry Classification System Supersectors and is structured to be representative of the U.S. economy.

The complete results of the national Manpower Employment Outlook Survey can be found in the Press Room of our website at http://press.manpower.com. There you will also find the results for the 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas surveyed, the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Questions can be directed to press@na.manpower.com. 

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Employment, Manpower News, Workforce News, Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , ,

November U.S. Unemployment

Posted on January 7, 2010 | Leave a comment

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment rates were higher in November than a year earlier in all 372 metropolitan areas. Seventeen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 13 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in November was 9.4 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 6.5 percent a year earlier.

Closer to home, Iowa’s unemployment reached 6.4 percent in November, up from 6.1 percent in October and 4.1 percent in November, 2008.  In the Des Moines-West Des Moines MSA, roughly 19,800 or 6.2 percent of the workforce was out of work.

Click here for full press release

Click image to enlarge

→ Leave a comment

Posted in BLS, Employment, Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , ,

Report: December Hiring on the Upswing

Posted on December 8, 2009 | Leave a comment

Manufacturing and service-sector companies plan to hire in December, a turnaround from their plans in the same month a year ago, according to the leading indicators of national employment report released by the Society for Human Resource Management.

A survey for the report found that 28.2% of manufacturing companies plan to hire in December while 17.5% plan to cut staff for a net increase of 10.7%. This compares to a net decrease of 10.9% in December 2008.

In the service sector, a net 18.8% plan to add staff in December compared with a net decrease of 9.1% in December 2008.

The SHRM report is based on a survey of private-sector human resource professionals at more than 500 manufacturing and more than 500 service-sector companies.

To see the full SHRM report click here.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Workforce Statistics, Workforce Trends

Tagged , ,

Contingent Workers Add Up

Posted on November 16, 2009 | Leave a comment

Contingent Counts

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Workforce Statistics, Workforce Trends

Tagged , , , ,

The Full U.S. Unemployment Picture – September 2009

Posted on October 15, 2009 | 1 Comment

Below is the A12 chart from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This chart gives the full unemployment picture of what is going on in the United States. These numbers cover a lot of varying categories and are often referred to but not always shown in full.

Unfortunately at this point it is still not a pretty picture, I do not expect to see any decrease in these numbers until the first half of 2010. That said, I.T. and Manufacturing are two burgeoning sectors of growth albeit they are not wide spread across every state. We are beginning to build toward hiring trends that will go beyond state borders, once that begins there will definitely be more companies willing to put both feet in and start hiring again.

A12 Sept 2009

Click Picture to enlarge.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Unemployment, Workforce Statistics, Workforce Trends

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Company Cost Cutting Statistics

Posted on October 8, 2009 | 1 Comment

Cost Cutting

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , , ,

Working Mom’s Feel the Pressure

Posted on October 5, 2009 | 2 Comments

pew working moms

According to recent Pew Research study women now make up almost half of the U.S. labor force, up from 38% in 1970. This nearly 40-year trend has been fueled by a broad public consensus about the changing role of women in society. A solid majority of Americans (75%) reject the idea that women should return to their traditional roles in society, and most believe that both husband and wife should contribute to the family income.

But in spite of these long-term changes in behaviors and attitudes, many women remain conflicted about the competing roles they play at work and at home. Working mothers in particular are ambivalent about whether full-time work is the best thing for them or their children; they feel the tug of family much more acutely than do working fathers. As a result, most working mothers find themselves in a situation that they say is less than ideal.

They’re also more likely than either at-home moms or working dads to feel as if there just isn’t enough time in the day. Four-in-ten say they always feel rushed, compared with a quarter of the other two groups. But despite these pressures and conflicts, working moms, overall, are as likely as at-home moms and working dads to say they’re happy with their lives.

Whether women work outside the home or not, family responsibilities have a clear impact on the key life choices they make. Roughly three-in-ten women who are not currently employed (27%) say family duties keep them from working. And family appears to be one of the key reasons that many do not break through the “glass ceiling” to the top ranks of management — that’s the view, anyway, of about a third of the public.

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , , ,

Take this Job and Love It

Posted on September 17, 2009 | Leave a comment

Pew Job Satisfaction

Self-Employed Significantly More Satisfied with Jobs.

Frustrated with your job? You might consider working for yourself. Self-employed adults are significantly more satisfied with their jobs than other workers. They’re also more likely to work because they want to and not because they need a paycheck.

But don’t count on becoming financially secure if you become your own boss. Self-employed men and women have virtually identical family incomes as other workers but they feel more financial stress, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center Social & Demographics Trends project.

Still, they like their jobs. Nearly four-in-ten self-employed workers (39%) say they are “completely satisfied” with their jobs, compared with 28% of all wage or salaried employees. And only 5% of all workers who are their own bosses say they are dissatisfied with their employment situation, half the proportion of other workers who are dissatisfied.

About 11% of all working adults ages 16 and older are self-employed, according to data collected by the federal government’s Current Population Survey. Their jobs vary widely, from small business owners and consultants to fishing guides and freelance writers. Included in the ranks of the self-employed are private contractors, artists, construction workers, day laborers, farmers and agricultural workers, as well as doctors, lawyers and accountants who practice alone.

Pew Reasons Why they Work

To read the complete study click here.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Workforce Statistics, Workforce Trends

Tagged , , , ,

Businesspeople Motivated by Challenge

Posted on September 16, 2009 | Leave a comment

It’s the challenge that motivates senior executives and managers to go to work each day.

Seventy-eight percent of business leaders are motivated to go to work each day by challenge, according to a new survey by NFI Research.

Following challenge, 70 percent are motivated by pride in their job and 67 percent by responsibility.

A significant number of those in large companies (83 percent) are motivated by compensation.

“It’s encouraging to see that challenge is the main motivator, though at large companies compensation is still a key driver,” said Chuck Martin, CEO of NFI Research and author of SMARTS: Are We Hardwired for Success?

The smallest percentage of businesspeople are motivated by pension and stock vesting (5 percent) and tradition and habit (10 percent).

When comparing senior executives to managers, more executives than managers are motivated by challenge. Ninety-two percent of executives are motivated by challenge compared to 65 percent of managers.

“I like a job that offers a challenge of doing new things,” said one respondent. “Not just new to me, but new in the sense of innovation, change, and improving how things get done or what gets done.”

There is a large difference between small and large organizations when it comes to pride in one’s job. Three-quarters (77 percent) of those working in small organizations (500 or fewer employees) are motivated by pride in their job compared to 43 percent in large organizations (10,000 or more employees).

Ninety percent of those in large companies are motivated by challenge. No one working in a large company is motivated by pension and stock vesting, according to the survey of 208 business leaders.
For more info: http://www.nfiresearch.com

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Employee Engagement, Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , ,

More Employers Check Social Networking Sites

Posted on August 20, 2009 | 1 Comment

social-networking

Forty-five percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates, up from 22% when asked last year, according to a survey released today by CareerBuilder.com.

Of employers who use social networking sites to find candidates or do background checks, 29% use Facebook, 26% use LinkedIn, 21% use MySpace, 11% search blogs and 7% use Twitter.

The top industries for employers that use social networking sites to screen candidates are information technology (63%) and professional and business services (53%), according to the survey.

Content that caused employers to not hire candidates included posting of provocative or inappropriate photographs, content about a candidate drinking or taking drugs, bad-mouthing of a previous employer, poor communication skills and making discriminatory comments.

However, some content encouraged employers to hire a candidate. This included profiles that provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality and fit, supported professional qualifications, showed the candidate was creative and showed solid communication skills.

The survey included 2,667 hiring managers and human resource professionals in the U.S.

Click here to view the complete study.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Social Networking, Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , , , ,

What are the Most Prestigious Jobs? – 2009 Survey

Posted on August 6, 2009 | Leave a comment

Every year at this time, The Harris Poll asks whether an occupation can be considered to have very great prestige or hardly any prestige at all. This year there are some changes as well as some stability in what occupations are considered prestigious and what ones are not.

These are some of the results of a nationwide telephone survey conducted by Harris Interactive among 1,010 U.S. adults between July 8 and 13, 2008.

Most Prestigious Occupations

The occupations at the top of the list are:

 Firefighter (62% say “very great prestige”),

 Scientist (57%),

 Doctor (56%),

 Nurse (54%),

 Teacher (51%), and

 Military officer (51%).

Least Prestigious Occupations

Looking at the other side of the list, only 15% or fewer adults regard the following occupations as having very great prestige:

 Real estate agent/broker (5%),

 Accountant (11%),

 Stock broker (13%),

 Actor (15%).

Substantial majorities of adults (from 65% to 80%) believe that these occupations have “hardly any” or only “some” prestige. Additionally, several occupations are regarded as “very prestigious” by more people this year than they were last year:

 Business executive, up six points to 23%,

 Military office, up five points to 51%, and

 Firefighter, up five points to 62%.

However, even with this improvement, business executives are still near the bottom of the list with 62% of Americans saying they have only some prestige or hardly any prestige at all. Two occupations lost four or more points since last year:

 Farmers, down five points to 36%,

 Accountant, down four points to 11%.

Prestigious Jobs Chart 2009

Click picture to enlarge.

So what do you think? Did the survey get it right?

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Workforce Statistics, World of Work

Tagged , , ,

Visual: Job Openings by Industry – July 2009

Posted on August 5, 2009 | Leave a comment

The chart below is from Indeed.com and represents a great deal of data and insight into the U.S. job market for the month of July. The information can help you figure out where the best industries are to focus your job search. If you are not aware of Indeed.com they are an aggregator of jobs from just about everywhere, even on the moon. Ok, maybe not on the moon – seriously though, their data is about as good as it gets when it comes to job opening activity. If you have never used their job board I would encourage you to check out their site at Indeed.com.

Industry Hiring Trends July 2009

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Workforce Statistics

Tagged , ,

What Metro Has the Most Jobs Available Per 1000 People – 2nd QTR 2009

Posted on August 4, 2009 | 2 Comments

50

Rankings Second Quarter 2009
50 most populous metro areas ranked by job postings per capita.

Rank (Last Qtr Rank) Metropolitian Area Job Postings Per 1000 People
1 (1) Washington, DC 133
2 (2) Baltimore, MD 90
3 (3) San Jose, CA 80
4 (7) Austin, TX 56
5 (6) Hartford, CT 54
6 (9) Seattle, WA 53
7 (8) Salt Lake City, UT 52
8 (11) Denver, CO 50
9 (5) Boston, MA 49
10 (4) Las Vegas, NV 49
11 (15) Charlotte, NC 49
12 (10) San Francisco, CA 47
13 (12) Milwaukee, WI 41
14 (30) Atlanta, GA 40
15 (13) Cincinnati, OH 39
16 (14) Oklahoma City, OK 39
17 (22) Orlando, FL 37
18 (23) Richmond, VA 37
19 (24) Jacksonville, FL 36
20 (16) Dallas, TX 36
21 (18) Phoenix, AZ 36
22 (19) Columbus, OH 36
23 (21) San Antonio, TX 36
24 (20) Tampa, FL 35
25 (31) Kansas City, MO 34
26 (34) Indianapolis, IN 34
27 (33) Sacramento, CA 34
28 (17) San Diego, CA 33
29 (27) Philadelphia, PA 33
30 (35) Nashville, TN 33
31 (29) St. Paul, MN 33
32 (26) Louisville, KY 33
33 (40) New Orleans, LA 32
34 (25) Houston, TX 32
35 (28) Cleveland, OH 32
36 (37) Providence, RI 31
37 (36) Pittsburgh, PA 31
38 (38) Memphis, TN 30
39 (32) Virginia Beach, VA 30
40 (44) St. Louis, MO 30
41 (39) Portland, OR 30
42 (42) New York, NY 28
43 (41) Birmingham, AL 28
44 (46) Chicago, IL 27
45 (43) Riverside, CA 26
46 (45) Los Angeles, CA 24
47 (47) Buffalo, NY 24
48 (48) Rochester, NY 19
49 (49) Miami, FL 17
50 (50) Detroit, MI 15

Data courtesy of Indeed.com

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , , ,

Is 2009 the Year of Shrinking Pay?

Posted on July 28, 2009 | Leave a comment

shrinking_dollar

More than one-third of U.S. employees report they have not received a raise this year or that their compensation has decreased, according to a Tell It Now(SM) poll by ComPsych Corporation.

“We continue to see increased call volume from employees who need help managing their finances in this challenging environment,” said Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, Chairman and CEO of ComPsych. “Our customers, realizing the need for supporting and educating employees with financial information, have been promoting the EAP as a place to turn for help as well as scheduling personal finance seminars for their workforce.”

Employees were asked: Has the economic downturn impacted your work? If so, in which area have you experienced the greatest impact?

  • 39 percent said they haven’t received a raise or their compensation has decreased
  • 20 percent said there is more conflict/stress among coworkers
  • 11 percent said they are doing more work due to employees that were laid off
  • 10 percent said they are working more hours/unable to take as much vacation
  • 20 percent said it has not impacted their work

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , , , ,

Workplace Discrimination in Recruiting Statistics

Posted on July 6, 2009 | 2 Comments

I have to admit that in today’s society I am surprised that this is still an issue. When I went to look at the numbers I didn’t think there would be such a disparity between the candidates, apparently I was wrong. This is an unfortunately sad statement that people who are well suited for a job are still discriminated against. While these are for waiter/waitress positions, I would have to assume based on this sampling that even in other occupations discrimination at some level still exists.

I hope I am wrong.

Recruiting Discrmination

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , , ,

Full U.S. Unemployment Picture (Even the Hidden Numbers)

Posted on June 30, 2009 | Leave a comment

There are a lot of numbers and percentages thrown around in the world of employment, especially as it relates to unemployment. There are no shortage of people talking and writing about typical unemployment numbers as though they are an Area 51 conspiracy. The talk typically swirls around the ominous U6 unemployment number, and that everything else that is released is smoke and mirrors. The articles have a very Illuminati sound and intrigue attached to the words.

 While the U6 numbers are not talked about a whole lot, they are also not top secret. They are part of a list of unemployment numbers that give a full picture of the current state of unemployment. So does that mean the traditional percentages we hear are wrong? No, those percentages are accurate. As you will see the U6 includes a lot more data and information in its rendering. So in my quest to expose the on-going mystery’s in the world of work, I present to you the U6 — and a bunch of other unemployment data.

A12 May 2009

Click the image to make it larger.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Unemployment, Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , , , ,

Visual: Growing Industries – What’s Hot? What’s Not?

Posted on June 24, 2009 | 1 Comment

As usual my friends over at Indeed.com have some great information to help you pinpoint your job search. Below is the graph for May 2009 and while everything is at a minus the best bets for opportunities are probably not a surprise. Education and Healthcare are leading the pack - nonetheless the overall amount of postings for jobs out there is encouraging (1,873,158).

If you are not familiar with Indeed.com I would encourage you to add it to your repertoire of job sites. I would also be remiss if I did not mention our own job board at manpowerjobs.com which will put you in touch with the latest and greatest job openings from Manpower.

Indeed Major Industries Graph May 2009

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Workforce Statistics, Workforce Trends

Tagged , , , , ,

Top 10 Hardest to Fill Jobs – 2009

Posted on June 1, 2009 | 2 Comments

top-ten-gold

We just released our Manpower Top 10 hardest positions to fill study (yes even in these tough recessionary times it is still difficult to fill some positions -crazy I know). Below are the results for America.

The top 10 jobs that employers are having difficulty filling across America are:

1.Technicians (primarily production/operations, engineering or maintenance
2.Production Operators
3. Accounting & Finance Staff
4. Laborers
5. Engineers
6. Sales Representatives
7. Management/Executives
8. Sales Managers
9. Skilled Trades
10.Secretaries, PAs, Administration Assistants & Office Support

Vacancies for technicians are the most difficult to fill for the second year in succession. After not appearing among the top 10 hard-to-fill positions in the 2008 survey, employers are identifying Accounting & Finance positions as the third most difficult to fill.

Click here to see the Global Study including America in a pdf format.

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , , ,

Workforce Metrics: Top Intern Employers 2009

Posted on May 29, 2009 | Leave a comment

Top Intern Employers 2009

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Workforce Statistics

Tagged , , ,