EMPLOYERS SEE IMPROVED JOB PROSPECTS AHEAD IN THE UNITED STATES AND
ASIA PACIFIC, ACCORDING TO MANPOWER EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK SURVEY
MILWAUKEE, WI, USA, 16 September 2003 – The fourth quarter of
2003 is likely to bring better employment prospects for job seekers
in the United States and the Asia Pacific region, according to the
Manpower Employment Outlook Survey results, which were released today.
The survey, conducted on a quarterly basis by Manpower Inc. (NYSE:
MAN), revealed that U.S. employers are more optimistic about adding
employees in the last three months of 2003 than they were for the
July through September period.
“The improvement in
hiring expectations for the fourth quarter marks a reversal of the
downward trend we have seen in the U.S. survey data since the beginning
of the year,” said Jeffrey A. Joerres, Chairman & CEO of
Manpower Inc., referring to the seasonally adjusted survey data for
the U.S. “Although the survey results are somewhat weaker than
fourth quarter of 2002, there is a consistent level of improvement
in employment prospects across the majority of industry sectors and
all four regions of the U.S.,” said Joerres.
The survey of more than 35,000 employers across 18 countries also
revealed that employers in the Asia Pacific region are more optimistic
about adding employees in the fourth quarter than they were in the
previous three months, which may indicate a rebound following the
SARS virus outbreak that gripped many countries in the region for
the first half of the year. More than 4,000 employers were surveyed
across Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Australia, and all four countries
reported that job prospects are likely to be more positive between
October and year-end.
Across Europe, the survey results were decidedly mixed, with German
employers remaining pessimistic, Irish employers reversing their buoyant
hiring plans from the third quarter and UK job prospects declining
for the fourth consecutive quarter. Job prospects in France are expected
to be relatively stable through the end of the year, while Belgian
and Swedish employers are planning to significantly increase their
recruiting levels for the same three months.
Employers in Italy and Spain reported significantly reduced hiring
intentions for the fourth quarter, particularly in the hotel and restaurant
sector and in agriculture, hunting and fishing.
“Seasonal
hiring patterns are reflected in the survey data for the fourth quarter
as the employment peaks and valleys follow the change to cooler weather
in the northern hemisphere and warmer weather in Australia,”
Joerres noted.
“Everyone has been waiting for the
U.S. economy to provide a boost to other countries because the job
situation has been difficult for such a long period of time,”
said Joerres. “We will need to see another quarter of positive
data in order to know whether this upward trend is sustainable,”
he added.
The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released on the
16th of December 2003 to report hiring expectations for the first
quarter of 2004.
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is available free of charge
to the public through their local Manpower representative in participating
countries. To receive e-mail notification when the survey is available
each quarter, interested individuals are invited to complete an online
subscription form at www.manpower.com/prsubscription
Note to Editors
Full survey results for each of the 18 countries included in this
quarter’s survey, plus regional and global comparisons, can
be found in the Manpower Press Room at www.manpower.com/meos.
In addition, 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 www.manpower.com/library
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 only
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 more than 35,000 public and private employers worldwide
and is considered a highly respected economic indicator.
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is currently available for
18 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany,
Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore,
Spain, Sweden, 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 have been added to the program in 2003.
For more information, visit the Manpower Inc. Web site at www.manpower.com
and enter the Press Room.
About Manpower
Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in the staffing industry,
providing workforce management services and solutions to customers
through 4,000 offices in 63 countries. The firm annually provides
employment to two million people worldwide and is an industry leader
in employee assessment and training. Manpower also provides a range
of staffing solutions, engagement and consulting services worldwide
under the subsidiary brands of Brook Street, Elan, The Empower Group
and Jefferson Wells. More information on the company can be found
at www.manpower.com
