Under Embargo until 00:01 GMT March 8th, 2011
Contact:
Eliza Nechifor
Manpower Romania
+4 021 312 18 98 (office)
eliza.nechifor@manpower.ro
A return to mild but positive hiring activity in Romania for the
second quarter
Romania’s employers report strongest job prospects since 1Q 2009
Bucharest, Romania, 8 March 2011 – Reporting the most optimistic hiring expectations in more than two years,
Romanian employers anticipate some staffing gains for Quarter 2 2011, according to the quarterly Manpower
Employment Outlook Survey released today by Manpower Romania. Hiring prospects have improved both quarterover-quarter and year-over-year, with increases in the Outlook of 7 and 12 percentage points, respectively.
Romanian employers anticipate modest headcount growth during Quarter 2 2011. While 19% of employers expect
headcount to increase, 14% predict a decrease and 66% forecast no change, resulting in a Net Employment
Outlook* of +5%, the strongest since Quarter 1 2009.
The survey was conducted by interviewing a representative sample of 751 employers across Romania.
*The Net Employment Outlook (the figure derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity
and subtracting from this the percentage of employers expecting to see a decrease).
“At the beginning of the year companies are usually cautious about planning new hiring because they often lack a
clear understanding of their workforce needs as market trends develop,” says Eliza Nechifor, Marketing and
Communications Coordinator of Manpower Romania. “The results of the survey for the second quarter are positive
once more, which leads us to believe that the labor market has turned the corner. This attitude indicates that
employers are a bit more optimistic. Now companies seem to realize that human resource strategies are a critically
important aspect of long time planning, and can give organizations the know-how and innovation they need to be
competitive and more successful in the post-crisis environment. We see signs that companies are gradually gaining
more confidence. Perhaps this is why some employers are willing to increase their payrolls as we move into the
second quarter and make the investments in personnel required to develop their qualifications and skills.”
“The fact that hiring expectations are trending upward is an encouraging sign,” added Nechifor. “Job seekers should
see the most opportunities in the Manufacturing and Mining & Quarrying sectors. This is also a good indicator for
the personnel services industry, which plays a notable role in the current labor market recovery. Not only because
most of the new jobs are created in our industry, but also because we are offering the flexibility and the
professionalism needed by enterprises to thrive in the post-recession environment.”
At the regional level, employers in six of the eight Romanian regions forecast an increase in staffing levels during
the coming quarter. The most optimistic hiring prospects are reported in the South-East, where the Net Employment
Outlook stands at +18%. Elsewhere, respectable hiring activity is predicted in the Center, where employers report
an Outlook of +11%, while in the West, the Outlook stands at a cautiously optimistic +10%. However, employers in
two regions – the South-West and the North-East – anticipate decreases with Outlooks of -5% and -3%,
respectively.
In the industry sector comparison, positive headcount growth is forecast in eight of the 10 industry sectors
surveyed. Employers in the Manufacturing sector report the most optimistic hiring intentions, with a Net Employment
Outlook of +18%, while Mining & Quarrying sector employers anticipate a steady hiring pace, with an Outlook of
+13%. Modest growth is forecast with Outlooks of +6% in the Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry & Fishing, Construction
sector and Wholesale & Retail Trade sectors. Meanwhile, employers in the Electricity, Gas & Water Supply sector
and the Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Business Services sector anticipate staff reductions, with Outlooks of 7% and -5%, respectively.
International comparison - EMEA
As was the case in the first quarter, job prospects across the 21 countries surveyed in the Europe, Middle East
and Africa (EMEA) region remain modest, with positive hiring activity expected in 15 countries. The second
quarter data does point to some stability in the region with employer forecasts remaining stable or improving
from three months ago in 15 countries, while year-over-year comparisons reveal stronger Outlooks in 11
countries. Notably, employers in all of the Eastern European countries surveyed are more optimistic about
adding staff than they were in the first quarter. Hiring activity in the EMEA region is expected to be strongest in
Turkey, Bulgaria, Belgium and Poland and weakest in Greece and Spain. Hiring expectations from Belgian
employers are the strongest in nearly five years, led by record optimism in the Finance/Insurance/Real Estate
sector.
“Following the global trend, the emerging market countries of Eastern Europe are more optimistic about their
ability to hire than their OECD counterparts to the west,” said Jeffrey A. Joerres, Chairman and CEO of
Manpower Inc.
Over 18,000 interviews have been conducted with employers across 21 EMEA countries to measure anticipated
hiring activity for Quarter 2 2011.
The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released on 14 June 2011 to report hiring expectations for
the third quarter of 2011. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is available free of charge to the public through
their local Manpower representative in participating countries. For Romania you can find the brochure and the press
release both in Romanian and English at www.manpower.ro in the Pressroom. To receive e-mail notification when the
survey is available each quarter, interested individuals are invited to complete an online subscription form at:
http://investor.manpower.com/investors/alerts.cfm.
Note to Editors
Commentary is based on seasonally adjusted data where available. Full survey results for each of the 39 countries and territories included in this
quarter’s survey, plus regional and global comparisons, can be found in the Manpower Press Room at www.manpower.com/meos. In addition, all
tables and graphs from the full report are available to be downloaded for use in publication or broadcast from the Manpower Web site at
http://www.manpower.com/press/meos.cfm
About the Survey
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers’ intentions to increase or decrease the number of
employees in their workforce during the next quarter. It is the most extensive forward-looking survey of its kind, unparalleled in its size, scope,
longevity and area of focus. The Survey has been running for more than 48 years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment activity in
the world. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is based on interviews with nearly 64,000 public and private employers worldwide and is
considered a highly respected economic indicator.
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is currently available for 39 countries and territories: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden,
Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The program began in the United States and Canada in 1962, and the United Kingdom was added in 1966. Mexico and Ireland launched the
survey in 2002, and 13 additional countries were added to the program in 2003. New Zealand joined the program in 2004, China, India,
Switzerland and Taiwan were added in 2005, and Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica and South Africa joined in 2006. Colombia, the Czech Republic,
Greece, Guatemala, Poland and Romania joined in 2008 and Hungary and Brazil were added in 2009. In 2010 Manpower’s Panama operation
launches the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. In 2011 beginning in the first quarter, operations in Bulgaria, Slovenia and Turkey join the
Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, expanding the program total to 39 countries and territories worldwide.
About Manpower Romania
Manpower Romania has operated since April 2003. Currently, there are 10 branches in the most 8 important cities. The company’s portfolio covers
temporary employment, permanent and contract recruitment, outsourcing and consulting. More information on Manpower Romania is available at
www.manpower.ro .
About Manpower Inc.
Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN), world leader in innovative workforce solutions; creates and delivers services
that help clients meet their business and workforce objectives while enhancing their competitiveness. The
$19 billion company provides a full suite of solutions for the business cycle including permanent, temporary
and contract recruitment; employee assessment and selection; training; outplacement; outsourcing and
consulting. Manpower’s worldwide network of nearly 3,900 offices in 82 countries and territories is the
world’s largest in the industry and enables the company to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year,
including small and medium size enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the world's largest
multinational corporations. The focus of Manpower’s work is on unleashing the potential of humans so that
employers and individuals can achieve more than they imagined. More information about Manpower Inc. is
available at www.manpower.com.
Enter the Human Age at: www.manpower.com/humanage
If you need more information, graphs and data, please contact:
Manpower Romania
Marketing & Communication Department
Eliza Nechifor
Tel. + 40 21 312 1898
eliza.nechifor@manpower.ro