Manpower's award-winning employment outlook survey for 2010 reveals that employers in most major labour markets expect to hire in the second quarter at a pace equal to, or stronger than, the same period last year.

Manpower's Employment Outlook Survey ranked in fourth place in the Expatica HR 2008/2009 Top 5 Industry Survey Awards. The quarterly survey, which has been running for more than 45 years, was seen as a topic of interest for HR managers, scoring highly for methodology and readability.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is currently available for 36 countries and territories:  Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Although employers in most major labour markets expect to hire in the second quarter at a pace equal to, or stronger than, the same period last year, many have yet to reach a pre-downturn hiring pace.

Job prospects in the Asia Pacific region remain strong, with the exception of Japan, and hiring outlooks continue to improve modestly in most of the Americas region. In Europe, hiring patterns remain mixed with employers in eight countries indicating modest improvements compared to three months ago and the same period last year. Employer hiring intentions are strongest in India, Brazil and Taiwan, while in the U.S. they are similar to three months ago, but more optimistic compared to last year at this time.

“We continue to see strong hiring demand across the Asia Pacific region, likely due to their increased domestic demand,” said Jeffrey A. Joerres, Chairman and CEO of Manpower Inc. “And while hiring intentions improved in the US, when you factor in the effects of seasonality, it’s very similar to last quarter. This is because unlike previous recessions, companies have become more sophisticated in knowing when they need workers and will no longer hire in anticipation of demand. Instead, companies will continue to push their organizations to do more with less and wait for clear signals of an increase in demand before hiring.”

The Manpower survey shows employers in 27 of 36 countries and territories expect some positive hiring activity in the second quarter, while those in eight are reporting negative hiring expectations – an improvement in comparison to the 18 countries and territories reporting negative outlooks last year at this time. Employers in 23 countries and territories are reporting stronger year-over-year outlooks, with those in India, Brazil, Taiwan, Peru, Costa Rica, Australia and Singapore noting the strongest job prospects.

Hiring plans are weakest in Italy, Spain and Ireland. Employers in Panama were surveyed for the first time this quarter and report upbeat hiring plans for the next three months.

Europe, Middle East and Africa

Of the 18 countries surveyed in the EMEA region, hiring expectations are mixed with employers in 10 countries reporting positive hiring activity for the quarter ahead. Compared to three months ago, hiring plans improved in eight EMEA countries and in eight where year-over-year comparisons can be made. Hiring activity in the region is expected to be strongest in Poland, South Africa, Norway and Sweden and weakest in Italy and Spain.

“We’re not yet seeing signs that the European labor market has turned the corner, but the good news is most employers intend to keep hiring at the same pace or above compared to three months ago,” said Joerres. “Hiring expectations among Europe’s Manufacturing employers have improved in 11 countries from last quarter, most notably in Poland where 25 percent of employers say they will add to their payrolls. Meanwhile, German job seekers can expect fewer opportunities in the quarter ahead, particularly in the Construction sector where 16 percent of employers tell us they will cut staff in the next three months.”

Visit www.manpower.com  to read the quarterly country-specific reports.

Winners of the Expatica HR 2008/2009 Top 5 Industry Survey Awards

1. ORC Worldwide Flash Survey: Cost Savings Initiatives 2009
2. ORC Worldwide: 2008 Worldwide Survey of International Assignment Policies and Practices
3. ORC Worldwide: 2008 Dual Careers and International Assignments Survey
4. Manpower Global Employment Outlook Survey
5. Brookfield Global Relocation Services: International Mobility: Impact of the Current Economic Climate

 Click here for more information on the Expatica 2008/ 2009 Top 5 Industry Awards.