U.S. Q3 Employment Outlook Hits 10 Year Low Though Early Signs of Optimism Emerge
-- Q3 hiring intentions decline 16 percentage points with a national employment outlook of +3
-- Hiring plans decline across all 12 sectors with those in Wholesale and Retail Trade and Construction reporting most significant reductions
-- 60% of employers surveyed anticipate hiring levels to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2020
Jun 09, 2020, 00:01 ET
MILWAUKEE, June 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Employers in the U.S. report significant declines in hiring intentions for Q3 according to the ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) Employment Outlook Survey of more than 7,700 U.S. employers conducted in April and May*. Hiring plans in Wholesale and Retail Trade and Construction show steepest declines from the previous quarter reflecting the impact of Safer at Home / Shelter in Force orders across the country. In contrast, employers in Education and Health Services (+13%) and Transportation and Utilities (+4%) report the most positive outlooks as frontline workers continue to be in high demand both through and after the pandemic peak.
Employers were also asked when they expect hiring to return to pre-COVID-19 levels. An optimistic 60% said before the end of 2020, with many expecting a return before the end of summer. Employers in Education, Construction and Government expect the shortest COVID-19 hiring impact while those in the Professional sector including law firms, accountants and consultants are most uncertain.
"The past weeks and months have seen the labor market transform overnight, with many industries halting hiring instantly, while others including healthcare, ecommerce and logistics saw immediate growth." Said Becky Frankiewicz, President of ManpowerGroup North America. "These numbers reveal the depth of the impact this crisis has had on hiring intentions across our country, yet we are beginning to see very early signs for cautious optimism. As states open up essential roles remain in demand, as well as tech skills including software & app developers, and even new roles like temperature checkers and contact tracers. It is encouraging to see so many employers predict a return to pre-pandemic hiring though we must remember any signs of recovery are fragile. Now is the time for everyone to join together to rebuild confidence and create opportunities for everyone as America gets safely back to work".
ManpowerGroup's real-time data** reveals a 10% increase in job postings nationwide in the past ten days. Top Essential and Non-Essential in demand roles across the U.S. include:
Most In-Demand Essential Roles |
Most In-Demand Non-Essential Roles |
1. Drivers 2. Nurses 3. Retail/Grocery Workers 4. Retail/Grocery Supervisors 5. Food Prep Supervisors 6. Stock Clerks – Stockroom, Warehouse 7. Cashiers 8. Food Prep Workers 9. Nursing Assistants 10. Stock Clerks – Salesfloor 11. Critical Care Nurses 12. Maintenance / Repair Workers 13. Trades Workers 14. Freight, Stock, Warehouse Material Movers 15. Security Guards |
1. Software and Application Developers 2. Customer Service Representatives 3. Insurance Sales Agents 4. Supervisors Office Workers 5. Marketing Managers 6. Network systems Administrators 7. Management Analysts 8. Help Desk Support 9. IT Security Analysts 10. IT Systems Analysts 11. Accountants 12. Sales Managers 13. IT Project Managers 14. Market Research and Analysts 15. Systems Engineers/Architects |
View the complete Q3 2020 U.S. survey results: ManpowerGroup.US/MEOS
Region |
Q3 2020 |
Quarter-over-Quarter |
Year-over-Year |
West |
2% |
-16% |
-20% |
Midwest |
5% |
-16% |
-16% |
South |
3% |
-18% |
-17% |
Northeast |
4% |
-13% |
-15% |
U.S. Hiring Plans by Industry Sectors, Regions, Metro Areas and States
- Employers in 9 U.S. industry sectors expect to add workers during the upcoming quarter: Leisure & Hospitality (+7%), Transportation & Utilities (+4%), Wholesale & Retail Trade (+3%), Construction (+2%), Government (+4%), Durable Goods Manufacturing (+1%), Education & Health Services (+13%), Financial Activities (+1%) and Nondurable Goods Manufacturing (+3%). Information (- 3%), Other Services (-3%) and Professional & Business Services (0%), are the 3 U.S. industry sectors that do not plan to add workers during the upcoming quarter.
- The Outlook in the Midwest (+5%), West (2%), Northeast (4%) and South (3%) all declined quarter over-quarter though hiring intentions still remain positive in all four regions.
Complete results for the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey are available for download at ManpowerGroup.US/MEOS. The Q4 2020 survey will be released Sept. 8, 2020.
*The Net Employment Outlook is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity and subtracting from this the percentage of employers expecting a decrease in hiring activity.
** Data June 5, 2020. Source: ManpowerGroup Insight from a scan of multiple sources including job boards, publicly available data (e.g. Bureau Labor Statistics) and Gartner's Talent Neuron
About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis and Talent Solutions – creates substantial value for candidates and clients across 80 countries and territories and has done so for over 70 years. We are recognized consistently for our diversity - as a best place to work for Women, Inclusion, Equality and Disability and in 2020 ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the eleventh year - all confirming our position as the brand of choice for in-demand talent.
SOURCE ManpowerGroup
