Of the more than 18,000 employers surveyed, 18 percent anticipate an increase in staff levels in their fourth quarter hiring plans, while 8 percent expect a decrease in payrolls. According to the seasonally adjusted survey results, the 13 percent “net employment outlook” for the fourth quarter is up from 12 percent during the third quarter and from 11 percent during the same period last year.
Intent to hire also continues to rise, with 18 percent of employers indicating an increase in staff levels for the fourth quarter. This is the highest percentage of employers projecting an increase in hiring in the fourth quarter since before 2009, when the number consistently remained above 20 percent.
Growth is also reflected among several key industry sectors.
At 22 percent, the outlook for wholesale and retail reflects a moderate increase in hiring year-over-year and is the strongest outlook for this sector since it reached 26 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007. Construction employers also indicate continued progress when compared year-over-year, as the outlook increases slightly from 1 percent in the fourth quarter of last year to 5 percent in same period in 2013.
Of course, with an increase in intent to hire new employees, training will play a key role in getting those employees up to speed quickly, making sure that business flow isn’t interrupted.
Survey: Increased Hiring Expected in U.S.
According to an article in Chief Learning Officer, a new survey from ManpowerGroup released last week ,”Employment Outlook Survey”, shows elevated confidence for the final quarter of 2013 as U.S. employers report a seasonally adjusted “net employment outlook” of 13 percent, the strongest fourth quarter outlook since the same period in 2007.