ManpowerGroup has released its Global Employment Outlook for the second quarter of 2018. This survey asked more than 59,000 employers across 44 countries and locations to answer a single question: “How do you anticipate total employment at your location in the three months to the end of June 2018 as compared to the current quarter?” While overall confidence is strongest in Taiwan, Hungary, Japan, and the USA, there are some notable changes in other countries as well. The German hiring outlook is at its strongest level in six years, led by a manufacturing sector that is at its most robust point in a decade. In fact, hiring is expected to increase in 25 out of 26 countries surveyed in EMEA. Other key points include:
The Americas
- The United States is indicating the strongest hiring plans for the second quarter. The leisure & hospitality sector is reporting the most confidence, followed by professional & business services and wholesale & retail trade.
- Canadian employers are expecting growth across all regions and sectors, buoyed by especially strong demand in public administration. This is the strongest report since the fourth quarter of 2011.
- In Latin America, Brazil seems to finally be moving past a prolonged downturn. With five consecutive quarters of improvement, the hiring outlook is now at its strongest levels since late 2014.
Asia Pacific
- Taiwan and Japan are expecting the most hiring of any countries in the current survey. In Taiwan, an especially strong finance, insurance & real estate sector is behind the boom. Mining and construction hiring activity is expected to be aggressive in Japan, followed closely by the transportation & utilities sector.
- Payrolls are growing in both Australia and New Zealand, although at a slightly slower pace compared to the previous quarter.
- While hiring plans in India are weaker on both a quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year basis, employers are NOT anticipating any reduction in current headcounts.
EMEA
- As indicated earlier, the German hiring outlook is its most optimistic in 7 years, with manufacturing hiring returning to levels not seen since 2008.
- All of the surveyed countries in EMEA except Italy are expecting employment growth in the coming quarter. The rosiest outlook comes from Hungary, where nearly 40% of employers are expecting to add headcount. The construction sector is particularly strong.
- Hiring plans in Greece indicate growth in all industries and sectors, making this the strongest outlook since 2008.
With strong hiring growth expected in many parts of the world, and a continued shortage of talent, employers will need to engage third-party recruiters to find and attract top-tier talent for their critical roles. Recruiters who have global connections are well-positioned to take advantage of the current employment climate. What markets and sectors are the strongest in your location? Add a comment below!
