Employment Outlook Shows Slight Hiring Decline
KANSAS CITY (BUSINESS WIRE), June 10, 2008 - U.S. employers are projecting a slight decline in hiring for Quarter 3 2008, according to the seasonally adjusted results of the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey conducted quarterly by Manpower Inc.
"While overall softness continues in the third quarter, employers are generally not reacting with large-scale payroll reductions," said Jeffrey A. Joerres, chairman and CEO of Manpower Inc. "The gradual slowdown suggests that employers have become sophisticated at anticipating their hiring needs."
Of the 14,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 26% expect to increase their workforces during the July - September period, while 10% expect to scale back their payrolls for a net employment outlook of 16% (seasonally adjusted 12%). Fifty-eight percent expect no change in the hiring pace, and 6% are undecided about their hiring plans.
Seasonally adjusted survey data indicates that hiring in five of the 10 industry sectors surveyed will decrease slightly during the upcoming quarter compared to Quarter 2 2008 making it the weakest employment outlook since Quarter 4 2003.
Employers in the Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, Transportation/Public Utilities, Wholesale/Retail Trade, Finance/Insurance/Real Estate and Education sectors all point toward somewhat more guarded hiring activity than in Quarter 2 2008. Construction, Durable Goods Manufacturing, Services and Public Administration staff levels are expected to remain stable compared to the previous quarter. Mining is the only sector indicating an increase in hiring for the upcoming quarter.
"Hiring looks to be a bit cooler this summer," said Jonas Prising, president of Manpower North America. "However, select industries are showing stability that may provide opportunities for job seekers who have the skills that employers need."
Employers in the Northeast and South anticipate a slight downturn in hiring heading into Quarter 3 2008. In the Midwest, a positive net employment outlook is expected, while employers in the West are expressing a moderate decrease in hiring.
|
Nearly 20 Percent of U.S. Workers Have Taken Office Supplies for Personal Use
KANSAS CITY (BUSINESS WIRE), June 10, 2008 - Nearly one in five (19 percent) workers report they have taken office supplies for personal use in the past year, according to a recent Spherion(R) Workplace Snapshot survey.
Of those who admit to having stolen office supplies, only 22 percent felt guilty or regretted the act, despite 74 percent of workers feeling it is wrong to do so. The number of workers who have taken office supplies for personal use remains unchanged from 2007, however the number of workers who feel it was wrong to do so has increased from 69 percent last year.
The primary reason workers give for having taken office supplies for personal use is that they needed them (42 percent). One-third say it was because their boss/office manager said it was OK, and 18 percent say they took office supplies because the company will never miss them.
Although the most common types of supplies taken by workers are pens, pencils or rulers (66 percent), paper, post-its or file folders (57 percent), and calculators, staplers or tape dispensers (11 percent), eight percent of workers admit to having taken higher priced items such as laptops, PDAs or cell phones, an increase from three percent last year.
The survey also finds that male workers are more likely to have taken office supplies than their female counterparts, with 20 percent vs. 17 percent respectively. Male workers are also less likely to feel it is wrong to do so (68 percent vs. 70 percent of female workers), and less likely to feel guilty or regret the act (19 percent vs. 22 percent of female workers).
|
Job-hunting Teens: Is This Summer Job Right for You?
The Kansas City Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Kansas City area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 2007 - 2008 Moore Design Group.