Manpower Group has released its Employment Outlook Survey for the upcoming quarter. Globally, hiring activity remains generally positive, although at a slower pace than this time a year ago. Employers in 43 countries participated in the survey, with payroll gains anticipated in 31 of those countries. Declines are expected in ten countries while two countries expect no change. More than three-quarters of employers expect pre-pandemic levels of hiring to return by the end of 2021. Some other highlights from results:
The Americas
- Ten countries in this region participated in the survey, with eight countries expecting payroll gains in the upcoming quarter.
- The US continues to lead the region in hiring activity, although at a slower pace than last year. The strongest gains are anticipated in the Leisure & Hospitality sector, which was badly hurt by the pandemic. That is great news for employers and job seekers alike in this vital sector.
- Brazilian employers report a stronger-than-expected rebound in the services sector, leading to a cautiously-optimistic outlook for the upcoming quarter.
AsiaPacific
- Taiwan leads the region in hiring activity for the third consecutive quarter, while payroll declines are expected in both Hong Kong and Japan.
- Australian employers anticipate the strongest hiring climate in more than nine years, with particularly healthy activity in the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate and Manufacturing sectors.
- China is the largest labor market in the region; modest anticipated payroll gains are not expected to have a significant impact here.
EMEA
- Employers in the largest EMEA labor markets report mixed hiring sentiment for the upcoming quarter. Modest gains are anticipated in France, while Germany appears to be slowing down and UK employers continue to see a slump in demand.
- The Construction and Manufacturing sectors are strong in France
- German hiring activity, while still positive, is slower on both a quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year basis
- In the UK, payroll declines are expected in the Finance & Business Services, Community & Social, Hotels & Retail and Manufacturing sectors
- Overall, the strongest hiring activity in the region is expected in Croatia and Romania
While some sectors and specific countries are still in decline, or at least rebounding more slowly than others, there are pockets of activity nearly everywhere. Once again, globally-connected recruiters are well-positioned to take advantage of business opportunities. This is especially true for recruiters who are able to utilize their connections to expand their scope of service to new geographic and industrial sectors.