PRESS RELEASE
Under embargo until 0:01 12th June 2007
Manpower Employment Outlook Survey:
EMPLOYERS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HIRING FOR THIS SUMMER
DIEMEN, THE NETHERLANDS, 12June 2007 – Manpower’s labor market barometer, the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, predicts that employer hiring activity will remain at high levels during the upcoming quarter. The Net Employment Outlook figure is +10%, which means that on balance 10% of the employers surveyed expect to be hiring more staff during the next three months. This is an increase of 6 percentage points compared with the same quarter in 2006. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is the only forward-looking employment forecast published in the Netherlands.
Manpower bases its quarterly Net Employment Outlook figures on interviews with 760 Dutch employers. Worldwide, interviews were conducted with nearly 52,000 employers in 27 countries and territories.
According to Hans Leentjes, Managing Director of Manpower Netherlands: “The Net Employment Outlook is +10% for the next three months, which means that the labor market will remain tight. The greatest increase in employment levels during the summer is forecast by employers in the West, with a Net Employment Outlook of +15%. This is an increase of 13 percentage points compared with the last quarter’s of 2007 by Western employers. However, this can be easily explained by the considerable increase in the Financial sector because this sector is mainly situated in the West.”
Leentjes goes on to explain: “Our previous survey forecasts have once again been confirmed by the data published by Statistics Netherlands, which show that the labor market remained healthy and producers remained optimistic.”.
Transport, Storage and Communications Sector very optimistic
Employers in all nine Dutch industry sectors surveyed have a positive Net Employment Outlook for Q3 2007. This time it is the employers in the Transport, Storage and Communications sector are expecting to increase hiring with the most improved Outlook compared to the same time last year. The sector’s Net Employment Outlook figure is +15%, which is an increase of 13percentage points compared with the Q3 of 2006. Employers in the Public and Social Services sector are the only ones to report a decrease compared to the previous quarter. Their Net Employment Outlook figure for the next three months is +3%. According to Hans Leentjes: “This may have to do with uncertainty about the effects of the new government’s plans, which often happens in a situation like this – employers take a wait and see approach to hiring”
International situation
Employer hiring expectations among the Netherlands’ key trading partners, i.e. Germany, Great Britain and the United States, are positive regarding hiring new staff during the next three months. The Net Employment Outlook figure remains strong in these countries, at +13%, +14% and +18%, respectively.
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Outlook
To calculate the net employment outlook figure, the percentage of employers who predict a decrease in job opportunities is subtracted from the percentage of those who say they will hire more staff. A positive net employment outlook figure indicates that the number of employers with an optimistic outlook on the future developments in the labour market is greater than the number with a negative outlook. Manpower issues its quarterly labour market barometer figures on the basis of interviews with over 750Dutch employers. Worldwide, interviews were conducted with nearly 52,000 employers in 27 different countries and regions.
The survey was conducted by Right Management in London, which is a member of the Manpower Group.
*The figures stated in this press release are seasonally adjusted.
The results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey for Q4 of 2007 will be published on 11September 2007.
About Manpower
Manpower offers comprehensive employment services to large and small, local, national and international businesses. The range of services includes permanent, temporary and contract recruitment, employee assessment and selection, training, outplacement, outsourcing and consulting. In the Netherlands, Manpower has 750 consultants, working in 150 offices. Thanks to the national and international Manpower network, each office acts as a knowledge base and a help desk for both employers and candidates. Manpower operates under five brands: Manpower, Manpower Professional, Right Management, Jefferson Wells and Elan. Manpower’s headquarters are in Diemen in the Netherlands. Hans Leentjes is the Managing Director. More information on Manpower is available at
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 52,000 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, Peru, Costa Rica and South Africa joined in 2006 and Argentina in 2007. For more information, visit the Manpower Inc. Web site at and enter the Research Center.
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