Prospects of staff hirings deteriorate
Employers in most sectors of the economy see hiring plans weakening in the first quarter of next year, compared to the current quarter, according to an employment prospects survey conducted by ManpowerGroup.
The survey found that 16 percent of employers foresee an increase in their staff over the first three months of 2018, while 72 percent anticipate no change and 9 percent expect a reduction. The share of employers who had forecast a staff increase for the fourth quarter of this year was 18 percent, while the figure for the first quarter of 2017 was 13 percent.
The sector with the best prospects for the first quarter of next year is that of transport and communications, with 21 percent of employers expecting to move ahead with hirings.
The construction sector recorded a significant nine percentage point increase in employers’ intent to hire in Q1, but the sectors of finance, insurance, real estate and corporate services saw a decline of seven percentage points, while employment prospects appear weaker also in agriculture (down six points) and tourism (down four points).
