Canadian employers expect a hopeful hiring climate for the first quarter of 2010, according to the latest results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world.

With seasonal variations removed from the survey data, the Net Employment Outlook of 13 per cent indicates employers anticipate a favourable hiring climate in the upcoming quarter.  This forecast improves six percentage points from the previous quarter when employers reported a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of seven per cent. However, the Outlook is down five percentage points from the same time last year.

The survey of more than 1,900 Canadian employers reveals that 15 per cent plan to increase their payrolls in the first quarter of 2010, while 13 per cent anticipate cutbacks and 70 per cent of employers expect to maintain their current staffing levels. Two per cent are unsure of their hiring intentions for the upcoming quarter.

“This quarter’s Net Employment Outlook indicates that the modest hiring climate reported in the previous quarter will improve in the first quarter of 2010,” says Lori Rogers, VP Operations, Staffing Services for Manpower Canada.  “Employers are telling us that they plan to hire but at a more conservative pace than during the same time last year.”

Of the 10 surveyed industry sectors, employers in the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate and the Wholesale and Retail Trade sectors are the most hopeful about adding to their payrolls in the first quarter of 2010 both with projected Net Employment Outlooks of 16 per cent once seasonal variations are removed from the data. Employers in the Transportation and Public Utilities sector, as well as in the Public Administration sector also anticipate a steady hiring pace for the upcoming quarter with seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlooks of 12 per cent.

Wholesale and Retail Trade

In the Wholesale and Retail Trade industry sector employers expect upbeat hiring activity in the first quarter of 2010 reporting a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 16 per cent.  This is an increase from the previous quarter when employers predicted a hiring climate of four per cent. However, it is a 14 percentage point decrease from the Outlook reported during the same time last year.

Transportation and Public Utilities

Reporting a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 12 per cent, employers in the Transportation and Public Utilities industry sector expect a respectable hiring climate for the upcoming quarter. This Outlook is a six percentage point improvement from the previous quarter, but is a two percentage point decline from the same time last year.

Mining

With a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of eight per cent, employers in the Mining sector project a moderate hiring climate for the first quarter of 2010. This is a slight decline from the previous quarter when employers reported a Net Employment Outlook of nine per cent. It is also a three percentage point decrease from the first quarter of 2009.

Manufacturing Non-Durable Goods

Employers in the Manufacturing Non-Durables industry sector expect a fair hiring climate reporting a Net Employment Outlook of five per cent. This is a slight decline from the previous quarter when employers reported an Outlook of six per cent. It is also a decrease from the same time last year when the seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook was 11 per cent.

Construction

In the Construction industry sector employers project a mild hiring climate for the first quarter of 2010 reporting a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of five per cent. This is a four percentage point decrease from the Outlook reported in the previous quarter. It is also a decrease from the same time last year when employers reported an Outlook of 17 per cent.

Manufacturing Durable Goods

In the Manufacturing Durable Goods sector, employers anticipate a cautiously optimistic hiring climate with a Net Employment Outlook of four per cent. The Outlook is an improvement from the flat environment reported in the previous quarter, but is weaker than the same time last year when employers reported an Outlook of nine per cent.

Regional Hiring Intentions Mixed

“Regionally, employers in Atlantic and Western Canada anticipate the most encouraging hiring climates,” adds Rogers. “The seasonally adjusted survey data indicates employers in Atlantic Canada have positive hiring intentions for the coming quarter reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 13 per cent. The upbeat forecast for this region is being strengthened by favourable hiring intentions in the Construction, Finance, Insurance and Real Estate, Public Administration and Transportation and Public Utilities industry sectors.”  Meanwhile employers in Western Canada report a mild hiring climate with a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of three per cent.  With Net Employment Outlooks of two and one per cent respectively, employers in Quebec and Ontario expect quiet hiring climates for the upcoming quarter.

For more information, visit  www.manpower.com