Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Q1 2010/Page 1
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 8th December 2009
(00.01 Singapore Time)
Contact:
Elise Ser
Manpower Staffing Services (S) Pte Ltd
+65 6877 8831
elise.ser@manpower.com.sg
Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Reveals New-Year Hiring Expected to Return to
Pre-Recession Pace in Singapore
SINGAPORE, (8th December 2009) – According to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey results
released today by Manpower Singapore, job seekers in Singapore should start the new year with
employment opportunities similar to those seen prior to the global downturn.
Singapore’s seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of +26% indicates a relatively stable labor market
with employer optimism continuing to improve for the third consecutive quarter. Of the 699 employers
interviewed, across seven industry sectors in Singapore, 27% expect to increase headcount, 6% anticipate a
decrease, while 65% foresee no change to their workforces.
Hiring intentions in Singapore have improved quarter-over-quarter by 9 percentage points. Year-over-year,
recovery has been strong with a steep improvement of 60 percentage points. This indicates that the worst
may be over and job seekers will likely find many more job opportunities in the market than a year ago at
this time.
“The labor market appears to have turned the corner; our Q1 2010 survey is telling us that the positive trend
from the previous two quarters continues,” said Peter Haglund, Country Manager of Manpower Singapore. “The
survey supports the views that the worst might be over for Singapore’s labor force. Employers are telling us
that they see an improved hiring climate in the months to come. Although the overall hiring outlook is back to
levels before the recession, we still see signs of cautious hiring in Transportation & Utilities and Wholesale &
Retail Trade sectors. Employers in both sectors still project a positive hiring but at a slower pace compared to
last quarter.”
Employers in all seven industry sectors predict headcount gains during Quarter 1 2010. The most robust hiring
prospects are reported in the Finance, Insurance & Real Estate sector, where the Net Employment Outlook is
+37%, and in the Public Administration & Education sector, with an Outlook of +36%. Prosperous hiring
Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Q1 2010/Page 2
climates are anticipated by employers in both the Mining & Construction sector and the Services sector, with
Outlooks of +33% and +31%, respectively.
Quarter-over-quarter, hiring intentions have strengthened in six of the seven industry sectors. A sharp
improvement of 28 percentage points is reported in the Mining & Construction sector, and Services sector
employers report a 20 percentage point increase. There are improvements of 18 percentage points in the
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate sector and 17 percentage points in the Public Administration & Education
sector. However, in the Wholesale Trade & Retail Trade sector, the Outlook declines by a slight 4 percentage
points.
Year-over-year, employers in all seven industry sectors report steep improvements in the Outlook, including a
73 percentage point increase in the Finance, Insurance & Real Estate sector and a 66 percentage point
increase in the Services sector.
“As the labor market eases, companies need to work on their employer branding to ensure that they can
retain and attract the right talent. If programs have yet to be put in place to build on a compelling employer
brand, it is important to establish the plans now. Success depends on having the right team in place, and with
improving labor market conditions we expect high employee turnover – especially if people feel their
employers have treated them poorly. So the willingness of people to change jobs and stronger demand will
lead to fierce competition among employers to hire the best talent. Also recognize that the top priorities to
unleash a talent’s potential are individual development as well as career prospects,” said Peter Haglund.
Employer optimism increased from Quarter 4 2009 in all eight countries and territories surveyed in Asia
Pacific region. Hiring plans are strongest in India, Singapore, Taiwan and Australia, with Japanese
employers reporting the weakest – and only negative – Outlook. Year-over-year comparisons also reveal
stronger hiring plans in all countries and territories except Japan.
Employer hiring intentions in the Manufacturing industry sector are boosting optimism throughout the
region with forecasts for the sector improving in every country and territory from both three months ago
and last year at this time. Considerable quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year improvements in India’s
Services sector are a key reason why the country’s employers are anticipating the strongest hiring plans in
the region. Conversely, the survey indicates Japanese employers will remain the most reluctant to hire in
Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Q1 2010/Page 3
the region: the weakest job prospects are reported in Japan’s Transportation & Utilities industry sector
where 24 percent of employers plan to reduce staff in the next three months.
The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released on 9 March 2010 to report hiring
expectations for the second quarter of 2010. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is available free
of charge to the public through their local Manpower representative in participating countries. To receive email 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.
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Note to Editors
Commentary is based on seasonally adjusted data where available. Full survey results for each of the 35
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/library.
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. The survey has been running for
more than 45 years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment activity in the world. Various factors
underpin the success of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey:
- Unique: It is unparalleled in its size, scope, longevity and area of focus.
- Projective: The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is the most extensive, forward-looking employment
survey in the world, asking employers to forecast employment over the next quarter. In contrast, other surveys
and studies focus on retrospective data to report on what occurred in the past.
- Focused: For more than four decades, the survey has derived all of its information from a single question.
- Independent: The survey is conducted with a representative sample of employers from throughout the countries
in which it is conducted. The survey participants are not derived from Manpower’s customer base.
- Robust: The survey is based on interviews with nearly 71,000 public and private employers across 35 countries
and territories to measure anticipated employment trends each quarter. This sample allows for analysis to be
performed across specific sectors and regions to provide more detailed information.
For more information, visit the Manpower Inc. Web site at www.manpower.com and enter the Research
Center.
Manpower Employment Outlook Survey Q1 2010/Page 4
Survey Question
All employers participating in the survey worldwide are asked the same question, “How do you anticipate total
employment at your location to change in the three months to the end of March 2010 as compared to the current
quarter?”
Surveyed Industry Sectors
 Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
 Manufacturing
 Mining & Construction
 Public Administration & Education
 Services
 Transportation & Utilities
 Wholesale Trade & Retail Trade
Net Employment Outlook
Throughout this report, we use the term “Net Employment Outlook.” This figure is 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 in employment at their location in the next quarter. The result of this
calculation is the Net Employment Outlook.
About Manpower Singapore (Manpower Staffing Services (S) Pte Ltd)
Established in 1996, Manpower Staffing Services (S) Pte Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Manpower Inc.
Manpower Singapore has carved a reputation for itself as an industry innovator and has worked with both public
and private sectors to develop new staffing policies and solutions. We offer a full expert recruitment service
backed by award winning training, HR Services, outsourcing and consulting. The company’s extensive resources,
world-class client list, and reputation attract a diverse group of talent, with every level of education, skills and
experience. We support the workforce needs of businesses of every size. From entry-level to top management.
From temporary to permanent. At Manpower, we lead in the creation and delivery of services that enable our
clients to win in the changing world of work. More information on Manpower is available at
www.manpower.com.sg.
About Manpower Inc.
Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in the employment services industry; creating and delivering
services that enable its clients to win in the changing world of work. Founded in 1948, the $22 billion company
offers employers a range of services for the entire employment and business cycle including permanent,
temporary and contract recruitment; employee assessment and selection; training; outplacement; outsourcing and
consulting. Manpower's worldwide network of 4,100 offices in 82 countries and territories 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 raising productivity
through improved quality, efficiency and cost-reduction across their total workforce, enabling clients to
concentrate on their core business activities. Manpower Inc. operates under five brands: Manpower, Manpower
Professional, Elan, Jefferson Wells and Right Management. More information on Manpower Inc. is available at
www.manpower.com.