OfficeTeam Survey Identifies a Growing Challenge in Finding Skilled Candidates

MENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The start of the new year may bring more job opportunities for administrative professionals, according to recent OfficeTeam research. Eight percent of human resources (HR) managers interviewed said they plan to add full-time support staff during the first quarter of 2011, while 3 percent anticipate declines. The net 5 percent increase is up five points from the prior quarter.  

As the hiring outlook improves, retaining valued workers also has become top of mind for employers. Forty-three percent of HR managers surveyed are concerned about losing their strongest administrative professionals to other opportunities. Six months ago, this figure was 26 percent.

The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 500 HR managers at companies with 20 or more employees.  

HR managers were asked, "Does your company plan to increase or decrease the number of full-time administrative staff in the upcoming quarter?" Their responses:

Difficulty Finding Skilled Candidates

Despite high unemployment rates, recruiting is a challenge for many employers. More than half (52 percent) of HR managers cited at least some difficulty locating skilled support staff, up from 45 percent six months ago.

"Some companies that reduced the size of their administrative teams during the recession are now staffing up again," said OfficeTeam executive director Robert Hosking. "Demand for support personnel has risen in areas such as manufacturing, nonprofit and healthcare, where organizations seek individuals with specific industry experience."

Little Change in Starting Salaries

Despite increased demand in some specialty areas, base pay for administrative professionals is expected to remain relatively stable next year. According to research conducted for the OfficeTeam Salary Guide 2011, national starting salaries are expected to rise an average of 1.1 percent.

About the Survey

The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 500 HR managers at companies with 20 or more employees. For the study to be statistically representative and ensure that businesses from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by geographic region and company size (by number of employees). The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportions of company size within each region.

About OfficeTeam

OfficeTeam is the nation's leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and administrative support professionals. The company has more than 320 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com.  

SOURCE OfficeTeam