Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Reveals Canadian Employers Anticipate a Favourable Hiring Climate for the Third Quarter of 2012

TORONTO, June 12, 2012 /CNW/ - Canadian employers expect the hiring climate to remain favourable for the third quarter of 2012, according to the latest results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world.

With seasonal variations removed from the data, the Net Employment Outlook of 12 per cent is relatively stable when compared to the Outlook reported in the previous quarter. This Outlook is also a four percentage point drop from the Outlook reported during the same time last year. However, results for the third quarter do represent one of the more subdued employer forecasts in more than two years.

The survey of over 1,900 Canadian employers reveals that 23 per cent of them plan to increase their payrolls in the third quarter of 2012, while five per cent anticipate cutbacks. Of those surveyed, 70 per cent of employers expect to maintain their current staffing levels while two per cent are unsure of their hiring intentions for the upcoming quarter.

"Job seekers in all regions are likely to benefit from a steady hiring climate from July through September, with employers in Western Canada reporting the most favourable Outlook," says Byrne Luft, Vice President of Operations, Staffing Services for Manpower Canada. "Although some Outlooks have decreased slightly compared to the previous quarter, job seekers should maintain confidence in the labour market as employers throughout Canada anticipate the hiring pace will remain upbeat through the summer."

Mining
Employers in the Mining sector anticipate a healthy third quarter in 2012, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 23 per cent. This is a two percentage point improvement from the Outlook reported in the previous quarter. The Outlook remains strong with no change from the Outlook reported during the same time last year. ManpowerGroup research reveals that employers in the Mining sector have reported the strongest forecasts in five of the last six quarters.

Transportation & Public Utilities
Employers forecast a favourable hiring climate, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 18 per cent for the third quarter of 2012. This quarter's Outlook is a two percentage point increase from the forecast reported for the previous quarter; however it remains unchanged from the Outlook reported during the same time last year.

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
Employers report a Net Employment Outlook of 14 per cent for the third quarter of 2012, indicating an upbeat hiring climate. This Outlook is a slight improvement from the forecast of 10 per cent, which was reported for the previous quarter, and is relatively stable when compared to the Outlook reported during the same time last year.

Wholesale & Retail Trade
In the Wholesale & Retail Trade industry sector, employers anticipate a respectable hiring climate, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 13 per cent. This quarter's forecast is relatively stable when compared to the previous quarter's forecast and the Outlook reported during the same time last year.

Manufacturing - Durables
With a Net Employment Outlook of 12 per cent, employers in the Manufacturing - Durables sector anticipate a favorable hiring climate for job seekers. This Outlook remains relatively stable when compared to both the prior quarter's forecast and to the Outlook reported last year.

Services

In the Services sector, employers anticipate a steady hiring climate for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 12 per cent. This forecast is a slight decline of two percentage points from the Outlook reported in the previous quarter and the Outlook reported during the same time last year.

Construction

Reporting a Net Employment Outlook of eight per cent, employers in the Construction sector anticipate a fair hiring climate for the upcoming quarter. This forecast declines when compared to both the Outlook of 13 per cent reported during the previous quarter and 18 per cent reported during the same time last year.

Public Administration

In the Public Administration industry sector, employers anticipate a fair hiring environment for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of eight per cent. This is a slight improvement from the previous quarter when employers reported a seasonally adjusted Outlook of six per cent. However, it is a nine percentage point decrease when compared to the same period last year.

Manufacturing - Non-Durables

In the Manufacturing - Non-Durables industry sector, employers report a Net Employment Outlook of four per cent indicating a mild hiring climate for the third quarter of 2012. Employer hiring intentions also decline moderately from the previous quarter when employers reported an Outlook of 10 per cent. It is also a 10 percentage point drop from the Outlook reported during the same time last year.

Education

Employers report a Net Employment Outlook of one per cent, indicating a modest hiring climate for the upcoming three-month period. This quarter's Outlook is a slight drop from the previous quarter when sector employers reported an Outlook of eight per cent, and an eight percentage point decrease from the Outlook reported last year during the same time. It is also the least optimistic forecast reported by Education sector employers since the fourth quarter of 2009.

Regional Hiring Intentions Upbeat

"Regionally, employers in Western Canada anticipate the strongest hiring climates for the upcoming quarter," adds Luft. "The data indicates employers expect a favourable environment for job seekers, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 18 per cent. The forecast for this region is due in part to the robust hiring forecast reported by employers in the Transportation and Public Utilities industry sector. In Quebec employers anticipate an upbeat hiring climate for the upcoming quarter, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 16 per cent. Meanwhile, employers in Ontario and Atlantic Canada project a modest third quarter with Net Employment Outlooks of 10 and nine per cent, respectively."

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Note to Editors
Full survey results for each of the 41 countries and territories included in this quarter's survey, plus regional and global comparisons, can be found in the Research Centre at www.manpower.ca. In addition, all tables and graphs from the full report are available to be downloaded for use in publication or broadcast from the ManpowerGroup Web site at http://www.manpowergroup.com/meos.

Note that in Quarter 2 of 2008, the survey adopted the TRAMO-SEATS model for seasonal adjustment of data. As a result, you may notice some seasonally adjusted data points change slightly from previous reports. This model is recommended by the Eurostat department of the European Union and the European Central Bank and is widely used internationally.

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 50 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 over 65,000 public and private employers worldwide and is considered a highly respected economic indicator.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is currently available for 41 countries and territories:  Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, 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, and Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica and South Africa joined in 2006.  Colombia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Guatemala, Poland and Romania joined in 2008; Brazil and Hungary joined in 2009; Panama joined in 2010 and Israel and Slovakia joined in 2011.  For more information, visit the ManpowerGroup Web site at www.manpowergroup.com and enter the Research Center.

About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, creates and delivers high-impact solutions that enable our clients to achieve their business goals and enhance their competitiveness. With over 60 years of experience, our $22 billion company creates unique time to value through a comprehensive suite of innovative solutions that help clients win in the Human Age. These solutions cover an entire range of talent-driven needs from recruitment and assessment, training and development, and career management, to outsourcing and workforce consulting. ManpowerGroup maintains the world's largest and industry-leading network of nearly 3,900 offices in over 80 countries and territories, generating a dynamic mix of an unmatched global footprint with valuable insight and local expertise to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year, across all industry sectors, small- and medium-sized enterprises, local, multinational and global companies. By connecting our deep understanding of human potential to the ambitions of clients, ManpowerGroup helps the organizations and individuals we serve achieve more than they imagined - because their success leads to our success. And by creating these powerful connections, we create power that drives organizations forward, accelerates personal success and builds more sustainable communities. We help power the world of work. The ManpowerGroup suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup™ Solutions, Manpower^®, Experis™ and Right Management^®. Learn more about how the ManpowerGroup can help you win in the Human Age at www.manpowergroup.com.

Enter the Human Age at: www.manpowergroup.com/humanage.

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John Settino
The iPR Group
416.850.2524
[email protected]