Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Reveals Canadian Employers Expect a
Hopeful Hiring Climate for First Quarter of 2011

TORONTO, Dec. 7 /CNW/ - Canadian employers expect a hopeful hiring climate for the first quarter of 2011, according to the latest results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world.

With seasonal variations taken into account, the Outlook of 14 per cent is on par with the Outlook reported in the previous quarter. This Outlook also shows a three percentage point improvement from the same time last year when employers reported a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 11 per cent.

The survey of more than 1,900 Canadian employers reveals that 16 per cent plan to increase their payrolls in the first quarter of 2011, while 11 per cent anticipate cutbacks. Of those surveyed, 72 per cent of employers expect to maintain their current staffing levels and one per cent are unsure of their hiring intentions for the upcoming quarter.

"The upcoming quarter's Net Employment Outlook indicates that the hiring climate remains favourable, particularly in the Wholesale & Retail Trade sector," says Lori Procher, Vice President and General Manager of Manpower Canada.   "Employers are telling us that they plan to hire at a similar pace as three months ago. Meanwhile, employers in eight of the 10 industry sectors we track anticipate stronger hiring activity than in early 2010."

Among the 10 surveyed industry sectors, employers in Wholesale & Retail Trade and Transportation & Public Utilities report the strongest results for the first quarter of 2011 with projected Net Employment Outlooks of 17 and 16 per cent, respectively, once seasonal variations are removed from the survey data. This is followed by Finance, Insurance & Real Estate industry, where employers report a Net Employment Outlook of 14 per cent.

Wholesale & Retail Trade
Employers in the Wholesale & Retail Trade sector anticipate a positive first quarter, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 17 per cent once seasonal variations are removed from the survey data. This is a five percentage point increase from the previous quarter. It is also a six percentage point improvement from the Outlook reported during the same time last year.

Transportation & Public Utilities
In the Transportation & Public Utilities sector, employers anticipate an upbeat hiring climate for the upcoming quarter with a Net Employment Outlook of 16 per cent. This forecast is a slight increase from the previous quarter when employers reported a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 14 per cent. It is also a six percentage point improvement from the Outlook reported during the same time last year.

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
Employers forecast a hopeful hiring climate, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 14 per cent for the first quarter of 2011.  This quarter's Outlook is a six percentage point decrease from the previous quarter as well as a slight drop from the Outlook of 16 per cent which was reported during the same time last year.

Manufacturing−Durable Goods
Reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 13 per cent, employers in the Manufacturing-Durable Goods sector anticipate a respectable hiring climate for the upcoming quarter. This forecast is an eight percentage point drop from the Outlook projected during the previous quarter. However, it is a moderate improvement from the same time last year when industry employers reported an Outlook of five per cent.

Public Administration
Employers report a steady Outlook for the first quarter of 2011 with seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 13 per cent, unchanged from the previous quarter and a two percentage point improvement from the Outlook reported during the same time last year.

Mining
Employers report a Net Employment Outlook of 12 per cent for the first quarter of 2011. This is a 12 percentage point drop from the previous quarter. However, it is a slight improvement from the Outlook of 10 per cent reported during the same time last year.

Construction
Employers anticipate a respectable hiring environment for the first quarter of 2011, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 11 per cent.  This is a slight drop from the previous quarter, when employers reported an Outlook of 13 per cent. However, it is also a three percentage point improvement from a year ago.

Education
In the Education industry sector, employers anticipate a moderate hiring climate for the first quarter of 2011, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 10 per cent. This quarter's forecast is a decrease from the previous quarter when employers reported a seasonally adjusted Outlook of 13 per cent. However, it is a five percentage point increase from the same time last year.

Manufacturing—Non-Durables
With a Net Employment Outlook of 10 per cent, employers in the Manufacturing—Non-Durables sector expect a fair hiring climate for the first quarter of 2011. This quarter's Outlook is a slight decrease from the previous quarter when industry employers reported an Outlook of 14 per cent. It is also a five percentage point improvement from the same time last year.

Services
Employers report a Net Employment Outlook of seven per cent indicating a mild hiring climate for the upcoming three-month period. This quarter's Outlook is down slightly from both the previous quarter the same time last year when Service sector employers reported seasonally adjusted Outlooks of 10 per cent.

Regional Hiring Intentions Favourable
"Regionally, employers in Western and Atlantic Canada anticipate the most favourable hiring climates," adds Procher. "The seasonally adjusted data indicates employers in Western Canada have positive hiring intentions for the coming quarter, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 16 per cent. The upbeat forecast for this region is due in part to the strong hiring forecast reported by employers in the Mining industry sector, which includes energy production. In Atlantic Canada, employers anticipate a respectable hiring environment for the upcoming quarter, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 13 per cent."  Meanwhile, employers in Ontario expect a hopeful hiring climate with an Outlook of 12 per cent, and Quebec area employers anticipate a fair first quarter reporting a Net Employment Outlook of seven per cent.

For a video overview of the survey visit:
http://manpower.ca/ca/en/research/meos/default.jsp

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 47 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 61,000 public and private employers worldwide and is considered a highly respected economic indicator. 

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is currently available for 39 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, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, 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; and Panama joined in 2010.  For more information, visit the Manpower Inc. Web site at www.manpower.com and enter the Research Center.

About Manpower Canada
With nearly 50 offices strategically located across the country, Manpower Canada's staffing services include administrative, industrial, skilled trades and contact centre personnel as well as the assignment of contract professionals in information technology, scientific, finance, engineering, telecommunications and other professional areas under the Manpower Professional brand. More information can be found on Manpower Canada's Web sites: manpower.ca and manpowerprofessional.ca.

For further information:

John Settino
The iPR Group
+1.416.850.2524
[email protected]