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Rate of layoffs slowing down
14 March 2010 By Samantha McCaughren
Employment levels look set to stabilise, with new research finding that 83 per cent of employers do not expect any change in staff levels between April and June.
The employment outlook survey from recruitment firm Manpower suggests that the rate of layoffs is slowing, although the proportion of firms that are planning to lay off staff (11 per cent) still outstrips those planning to hire people (3 per cent).
Manpower’s survey of 629 employers gave a net employment outlook of -9 per cent.
This is calculated by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in total employment and subtracting from this the percentage expecting to see a decrease.
This figure is then adjusted for seasonal variations.
According to Manpower, employers in Italy and Spain were more pessimistic than those in Ireland, with both countries reporting a negative outlook of 11 per cent.
In Ireland, the wholesale and retail trade and the restaurant and hotels industry sectors had a more positive outlook for April to June than in previous quarters, although more employers still expect to let people go than take on new people.
Employers in the construction sector expect the hiring slump to continue, however, with a negative outlook of 29 per cent.
There were also variations on a regional level. In Leinster, the outlook is -7 per cent, which is a considerable improvement quarter-on-quarter, and is nine percentage points stronger year-on-year.
In Dublin, there is a negative hiring outlook of 6 per cent, which is the same as the previous quarter and more positive than this time last year.
Companies based in Munster also anticipate a weak labour market, with a net employment outlook of -9 per cent. The outlook is slightly stronger than in January to March, and a nine percentage point improvement on last year.
In Connacht, the outlook is 14 per cent, which is 3 percentage points weaker than the last quarter, but relatively stable year-on-year. Employers in Ulster were downbeat about the labour market, with a net outlook of -12 per cent.
Krissie Davies, managing director of Manpower Ireland, said the figure suggested that most Irish employers would continue to be cautious over the second quarter of the year.
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