IT Workers: Confident and Secure in Their Jobs in Q3

BOSTON, Nov. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Confidence among U.S. technology workers continued to climb in the third quarter of 2013, with the Randstad IT Employee Confidence Index increasing 6.8 points to 60.4—its highest level since the inception of the survey in 2005. The quarterly study, conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of technology talent and solutions provider Randstad Technologies, indicates growing confidence levels among technology workers across all survey indicators. Data was collected between July 9-11, August 5-7 and September 9-11, 2013, and thus does not reflect the attitudes of employees during the government shut down.

"It's a good time to be in the tech sector. Hiring needs have picked up as clients are continuing to invest more in a contingent workforce, as well as in permanent staff," said Bob Dickey, Group President, Technology and Engineering. "At the same time, we are also seeing companies face challenges in attracting and retaining talent. In fact, we are seeing a significant number of candidates that possess the right skill sets receive numerous job offers at a time.

Job confidence is also increasing among IT employees, with more than half (52%) saying they are confident in their ability to find new jobs, rising five percentage points from the previous quarter. However, fewer employees plan to look for a new job in the next 12 months, falling from 43 percent to 37 percent in Q3.

"As the IT employment market becomes more and more competitive, we are also seeing more workers turning to staffing firms in order to gain a wide range of skills, diversify their experiences and to further their careers," Dickey said.

Q3, 2013 Survey Highlights:

IT Worker Confidence in the Economy Increases in Third Quarter

• Technology professionals' confidence in the overall economy increased by twelve percentage points this quarter, with 42 percent believing the economy is getting stronger. More than a quarter (27%) say the economy is getting weaker, a notable decrease from last quarter's 39 percent.

Increased Number of IT Workers Believe More Jobs are Available this Quarter

• A third (33%) of IT workers say more jobs are available, compared to 22 percent in the second quarter of 2013. Nearly four-in-10 (39%) IT employees believe that fewer jobs are now available, a decrease of four percentage points from the previous quarter.

More Than Half of Tech Workers Optimistic about Their Employability

• Rising five percentage points this quarter, more than half (52%) of IT workers reported feeling confident in their ability to find a new job, compared to 47 percent the previous quarter.                      

IT Workers' Confidence in Their Job Security Rises Significantly

• A majority (77%) of IT workers report that it is not likely they will lose their job in the next 12 months, rising a significant 19 percentage points from the previous quarter.

Fewer IT Workers Likely to Job Hunt

• Less than four-in-10 (37%) IT workers are likely to look for a new job in the next year, a decrease of six percentage points from the previous quarter.       

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Randstad Technologies from July 9-11, August 5-7 and September 9-11, 2013 among 195 adults ages 18 and older who are employed in IT. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

About Randstad Technologies
Randstad Technologies has been connecting top companies around the globe with the expert technology talent and solutions that drives their success since 1984. Our deep industry expertise and full-service capabilities—Recruitment, Consulting, Projects and Outsourcing—enable organizations to be agile, productive and ahead in the field with their wide network of specialists and flexible solutions. For more information, visit www.randstadtechnologies.com.

About Randstad US
Randstad US is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a $22.0 billion global provider of HR services. As the third largest staffing organization in the U.S., Randstad holds top positions in permanent placement, office and administrative, IT and accounting and finance. From professional services, commercial staffing, recruitment process outsourcing, to managed services and more, Randstad delivers a comprehensive range of temporary, temporary-to-hire, permanent placement and outsourced placement services. With its 5,660 employment experts, Randstad puts an average of nearly 100,000 people to work in the U.S. each week through its network of more than 900 branches and client-dedicated locations.

Learn more at www.randstad.com and access Randstad's panoramic U.S. thought leadership knowledge center through its Workforce360 site that offers valuable insight into the latest economic indicators and HR trends shaping the world of work.

SOURCE Randstad Technologies