Job seekers have an extra reason to cheer the New Year, with the net employment outlook showing 9 percent growth in the first three months of 2012. That’s according to a survey of 18,000 U.S. employers conducted by ManpowerGroup.
This is the ninth successive quarter that the Manpower survey has predicted payroll growth, and represents an increase of 2 percent from a year ago. However, the survey showed that anticipated growth is spread unevenly throughout regions and job sectors.
The Midwest is expected to reap the biggest gains through March 2012 due to a strengthening manufacturing sector, while all industries except construction, which has a negative 7-percent outlook, are expected to experience at least some growth.
“Slow, but steady momentum has improved employer confidence, which is likely why more
employers are planning to hire in the first quarter,” said ManpowerGroup president Jonas Prising.
The survey also revealed that 7 percent of employers are not sure if their workforces will grow, shrink, or remain the same. That is the highest rate of uncertainty since 2005.
“The historically high proportion of employers that are unsure of their hiring plans indicates continued uncertainty about the future and ongoing caution when it comes to staffing plans,” Prising said.
The ManpowerGroup survey asks businesses if they expect their workforces to grow, shrink, remain stagnant, or if they are unsure. The company subtracts the percentage of businesses that expect their workforces to shrink from the percentage of businesses that expect to increase staffing. That figure is then adjusted for seasonal fluctuations to arrive at the net employment outlook.