Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Finds Hint of Restraint in U.S. Hiring Plans for the Second Quarter

    MILWAUKEE, March 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In the United States,
 employers plan to tone down hiring activity during the second quarter of
 2007, according to the seasonally adjusted results of the latest Manpower
 Employment Outlook Survey, conducted quarterly by Manpower Inc.
     (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060221/CGTU012LOGO)
     "A look at the last three quarters of survey data suggests that
 employers are shifting into neutral when it comes to hiring," said Jeffrey
 A. Joerres, Chairman & CEO of Manpower Inc. "Companies expect to coast
 through the next three months without much growth in the way of staff. It
 is a subtle change that may not yet be perceived in the job market, however
 it is a break from the three plus years of nearly unchanged hiring plans."
     Of the 14,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 28% expect to increase payrolls
 during the second quarter of 2007, while 7% expect to trim staff levels.
 Fifty-nine percent expect no change in the hiring pace, and 6% are
 undecided about their hiring plans.
     The seasonally adjusted survey results show that employers are more
 likely to maintain or reduce staffing activity rather than ramp-up hiring.
 Employers in Durable and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, Education and
 Public Administration sectors express similar hiring intentions for the
 first and second quarters of 2007. Mining, Construction, Wholesale/Retail
 Trade and Services employers are less confident about hiring than they were
 in the first quarter, while Transportation/Public Utilities and
 Finance/Insurance/Real Estate hiring managers foresee improved job
 prospects during the spring months.
     "A look at the shifts within the industry sectors brings context to the
 hiring pause expected in the second quarter," said Jonas Prising, President
 of Manpower North America. "During the last year, hiring intentions among
 Construction employers steadily declined to early 2004 levels, such that
 second quarter results are among the weakest of the 10 industry sectors.
 Factor in the increasingly conservative mood of Durable Goods
 Manufacturing, Finance/Insurance/Real Estate and Services employers, and we
 have a clearer picture of the industries that are impacting the softer
 survey results."
     At the regional level, there are minimal changes in hiring expectations
 compared to the first quarter. Employers in the Northeast and South expect
 to maintain similar levels of employment activity, while those in the
 Midwest and West anticipate slightly weaker hiring conditions in the next
 three months. Among survey participants, those in the South are the most
 upbeat about hiring, and those in Midwest are least optimistic.
     In addition to the United States, the Manpower Employment Outlook
 Survey is conducted in 26 other countries and territories. The quarterly
 report from Manpower Inc. is the most extensive, forward-looking employment
 survey in the world, gathering data from nearly 50,000 employers across the
 globe each quarter.
     Overall employment expectations in the global labor market are mixed
 for the second quarter, with employers in 14 countries and territories
 expecting to increase the pace of hiring from both the first quarter of
 2007 and one year ago. The Manpower survey showed the most optimistic
 hiring expectations for the second quarter are in Singapore, Peru,
 Argentina, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Employers
 in Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Singapore, South
 Africa and Switzerland reported their most optimistic hiring plans since
 the survey began in these countries.
     Of the countries surveyed in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)
 region, job prospects are strongest in South Africa, Ireland, Switzerland,
 Norway and the UK, while French employers reported the weakest, but still
 positive, hiring expectations in the region. In addition to the improvement
 reported for Germany, Italian employers also reported a notable boost in
 hiring plans from last year at this time.
     Employer hiring projections for the eight countries and territories
 included in the survey across the Asia Pacific region are mixed, with a
 weaker job market ahead for Taiwan, India and Hong Kong compared to last
 year at this time. On the other hand, seasonally adjusted data reveals
 demand for employees is heating up in Singapore and Australia.
     Of the six countries surveyed in the Americas, employers in Peru and
 Argentina are the most optimistic about adding to their workforces, while
 employers in Mexico have the strongest hiring expectations since the survey
 began in the third quarter of 2002. The hiring pace is expected to be
 slightly weaker from one year ago in Canada and the U.S.
     The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released on June
 12, 2007, to report hiring expectations for the third quarter of 2007.
     Note to Editors
     All comments are based on seasonally adjusted data where available. The
 region reported in the past as "Europe" has been changed to "Europe, Middle
 East and Africa (EMEA)" to include results from South Africa, which joined
 the survey program in the 4th quarter of 2006.
     Graphical illustrations and full survey results for each U.S. region
 and industry sector can be found in the Manpower Employment Outlook survey
 report. The report can be accessed in the Manpower Press Room at
 http://www.manpower.com/meos. Here you will also find results of the
 surveys conducted in the other 26 countries. All graphs from the full
 report are available to be downloaded for use in publication or broadcast
 from the Manpower Online Visual Library, also located in the Press Room on
 http://www.manpower.com/library.
     Manpower Employment Outlook Survey data is available for more than 460
 U.S. markets across the country. Local findings can be obtained by
 contacting Bethany Perkins at 414.906.6253 or
 bethany.perkins@na.manpower.com.
     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 workforce during the next quarter. It is the most
 extensive forward-looking survey of its kind, unparalleled in its size,
 scope, longevity and area of focus. The Survey has been running for more
 than 40 years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment activity
 in the world. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is based on interviews
 with nearly 50,000 public and private employers worldwide and is considered
 a highly respected economic indicator.
     The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is currently available for 27
 countries and territories: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada,
 China, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy,
 Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Singapore, Spain,
 South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the
 United States. The program began in the United States and Canada in 1962,
 and the United Kingdom was added in 1966. Mexico and Ireland launched the
 survey in 2002, and 13 additional countries were added to the program in
 2003. New Zealand joined the program in 2004, China, India, Switzerland and
 Taiwan were added in 2005, and Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica and South Africa
 joined in 2006. For more information, visit the Manpower Inc. Web site at
 http://www.manpower.com and enter the Research Center.
     About Manpower Inc.
     Manpower Inc. ( MAN) is a world leader in the employment services
 industry; creating and delivering services that enable its clients to win
 in the changing world of work. The $18 billion company offers employers a
 range of services for the entire employment and business cycle including
 permanent, temporary and contract recruitment; employee assessment and
 selection; training; outplacement; outsourcing and consulting. Manpower's
 worldwide network of 4,400 offices in 73 countries and territories enables
 the company to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year, including
 small and medium size enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the
 world's largest multinational corporations. The focus of Manpower's work is
 on raising productivity through improved quality, efficiency and
 cost-reduction across their total workforce, enabling clients to
 concentrate on their core business activities. Manpower Inc. operates under
 five brands: Manpower, Manpower Professional, Elan, Jefferson Wells and
 Right Management. More information on Manpower Inc. is available at
 http://www.manpower.com and http://www.us.manpower.com.
 
 

SOURCE Manpower Inc.