Manpower has released its quarterly hiring outlook survey. Nearly 60,000 employers in 43 different countries were asked to answer, “How do you anticipate total employment at your location to change in the three months to the end of December 2017 as compared to the current quarter?” In this iteration of the survey, hiring is expected to increase from current levels in 42 of the 43 countries. Switzerland is expecting to see flat hiring. This marks a momentous occasion: For the first time since Q2 2008 and the Great Recession, there are NO negative net employment outlooks in any of the surveyed countries. It’s worth repeating. Global hiring is expected to remain the same or improve in every surveyed country for the first time in nine years. If there is a further theme to the survey results, it is that manufacturing appears to be a strong employment sector on a global basis. Other highlights include:
The Americas:
- Hiring in the US manufacturing sector is at its strongest reported levels since the fourth quarter of 2007. This is in line with other headlines I have seen regarding US hiring in general, and manufacturing specifically.
- Across the US borders to both the north and south, Canada and Mexico are also reporting hiring plans in manufacturing. Canadian employers are upbeat about finance, insurance, and real estate. In Mexico, steady hiring is expected in the services and transportation/communication markets.
- While the hiring outlook in Brazil is the weakest in the Americas, employers are still predicting growth for a second consecutive quarter. This follows more than two years of negative forecasts, so this is a welcome change.
Asia Pacific:
- After a prolonged depression in the mining sector, Australian employers are finally predicting steady growth here. Mining also remains a strong market in New Zealand.
- The hiring outlook in Japan is both the strongest in the region as well as the strongest in the survey. More than 30% of employers in mining & construction plan to add to their payrolls during the quarter.
- Chinese employers are reporting the best hiring market since 2015, with growth expected in all industry sectors.
EMEA:
- Manufacturing is the name of the game in EMEA, with a positive hiring outlook in this sector in Hungary, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Poland. Hungary is expected to have the strongest labor market in the region for the second consecutive quarter. Italy’s manufacturing sector is at its most robust in more than nine years.
- Greece, after years of negative employment forecasts, is finally showing signs of a turnaround with an upbeat outlook.
- While the hiring outlook in France is cautiously optimistic, it is stronger than it has been for the past two years. Growth is expected in 60% of the industry sectors and 80% of the regions.
Recruiters should be well-positioned to benefit from the generally strong global hiring outlook. How does this information match up with what you are seeing? Do you see the same areas of strength and weakness? Please comment below!
