Another staffing firm survey is reporting area companies are in a better mood about the economy, even as national reports cast doubt over the strength of the recovery.
QPS Employment Group, a Wisconsin-based staffing firm, released the results of its third-quarter forecasting survey today. Of the more than 400 companies surveyed in Wisconsin and Illinois, 72 percent of the companies reported feeling the effects of the recovery, with eight percent saying they felt it “very much” and 64 percent saying “somewhat.” Twenty-four percent say they are not feeling the recovery at all, and four percent say their business isn’t affected by the economy. (Who are those four percent, I wonder? Is there any business not affected by the economy? Or is this four percent of people who just filled in the wrong bubble on their surveys?)
Also of note: 23 percent of surveyed companies report having trouble finding qualified candidates, up from 10 percent in the third-quarter 2009 survey. Take note, job seekers: it’s never a good time to stop training or improving yourself.
QPS’ results dovetail with Manpower, Inc.’s third-quarter forecast, which stated 18 percent of Illinois companies are expected to hire from July to September, with 6 percent expected to reduce their payrolls. Six percent were not sure of their hiring plans, and 70 percent planned no changes. It was the third straight quarter for a positive employment outlook.
Other survey results:
Hiring trends:
- 37 percent will add staff
- Six percent will decrease staff
- 57 percent will remain the same
Business in the third quarter:
- 55 percent expect business to improve
- 39 percent think that it will remain the same
- Six percent anticipate business to decline
Biggest issues facing companies:
- The economy- 74 percent
- Insurance costs- 29 percent
- Material costs- 26 percent
- Lack of skilled/qualified employees- 23 percent
- Government regulations- 18 percent
Are you concerned about retaining staff?
- 59 percent said no
- 24 percent said yes
- 17 percent said that they were not considering retention yet
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