Sustained Jobs Growth Continues: Employers Across the Globe Report Positive Hiring Intentions for Q4

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- (NYSE: MAN) – Hiring prospects are looking up for job seekers around the world in Q4 2017. There are no negative employment Outlooks reported for the first time since 2009 according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey. Hiring confidence is strongest in Japan, Taiwan, Costa Rica, India and Hungary.

View complete Q4 2017 survey results: www.manpowergroup.com/meos
Of more than 59,000 employers surveyed across 43 countries and territories:

• Hiring has strengthened in 23 countries and territories, is unchanged in seven and declines in 13 when compared to Q3 2017
• Confidence levels have strengthened year-on-year in 25 countries and territories.
• In the U.S. manufacturing hiring continues on a growth trajectory with employers reporting the most optimistic intentions since 2007

"We are seeing sustained hiring confidence from employers around the world after some years of caution," said Jonas Prising, Chairman & CEO, ManpowerGroup. "Countries including Spain, Italy and Greece are back on track and job prospects across the world are looking up. In the UK, employers in financial services and construction report the strongest Outlooks, reinforcing their need for access to talent. Across the world, lower unemployment, strong hiring intentions and demand for increasingly specific skill sets all point to a growing skills mismatch. In this tight labor market organizations need to work harder than ever to reskill existing employees and upskill future talent. It's time to get smart about how to attract, retain and develop the workforce of tomorrow."

Global Hiring Plans by Region

• EMEA: Staffing levels are expected to grow in 24 of 25 countries surveyed. Employers in Hungary, Greece and Romania report the strongest hiring plans in the EMEA region and employers in Switzerland, Czech Republic, Italy and Belgium report the weakest, yet still positive Outlooks.
• In the UK, employer hiring intentions continue to be favorable in the face of uncertainty around Brexit negotiations. The Q4 Outlook remains stable at +6%, improving 1% quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year. The strongest UK Outlooks are seen in the construction sector at +11% and finance and business services at +9%.
• Employers in Greece are reporting the eighth consecutive quarter of positive hiring intentions. The Outlook of +15%, the strongest planned hiring since Q3 2008, is driven by continued growth in the finance and business services sector, at +21%.
• French employers report positive hiring intentions for the sixth consecutive quarter. The employment Outlook for the last quarter is the strongest reported in more than two years. New President Macron's focus on labor market reform could provide greater mobility and help employers find the workers they need.
• Asia Pacific: Hiring is expected to increase in all eight Asia Pacific countries and territories during Q4 2017. Hiring sentiment is strongest in Japan and Taiwan, while the weakest Outlooks are reported in Australia and China.
• Japan's employers report the strongest fourth-quarter forecast among all 43 countries and territories for Q4 2017, driven by robust Outlooks in the Mining & Construction and Transportation & Utilities sectors.
• Following six consecutive quarters of declining hiring intentions, employers in India reported a Q4 Outlook of +19%, up from +15% in Q3, which was the weakest Outlook in India since 2005.
• Americas: Positive Outlooks are reported in all 10 countries surveyed. Employers in Costa Rica report the most optimistic hiring intentions across the Americas region, while Brazil and Peru reported the weakest Outlooks.
• Employers across the United States remain positive, with nearly one in five (21%) planning to hire in Q4. US employers are continuing to expand in the durable goods manufacturing sector, reporting an Outlook of +18%, the strongest hiring intentions since 2007. Employers in Professional & Business Services also reported the strongest hiring intentions than at any point since 2009.
• Despite the Brazilian Outlook being the weakest in the region at +1%, Q4 2017 represents its second consecutive quarter of positive forecasts following nine consecutive quarters of negative reports.

To view complete results for the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, visit www.manpowergroup.com/meos. The next survey will be released 12 December 2017 and will report hiring expectations for Q1 2018. To receive the latest survey results each quarter, sign up here.

*The Net Employment Outlook is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity and subtracting from this the percentage of employers expecting a decrease in hiring activity.

About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for over 400,000 clients and connect 3+ million people to meaningful, sustainable work across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower®, Experis®, Right Management® and ManpowerGroup® Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across 80 countries and territories and has done so for nearly 70 years. In 2017, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the seventh consecutive year and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup is powering the future of work: www.manpowergroup.com

SOURCE ManpowerGroup