Job prospects among employers at 17-year low - survey

Jun 9 2009 by Graeme Brown, Birmingham Post

Confidence among employers about job prospects remains at its lowest level for 17 years, according to a new study.

Confidence is “weak”, although four out of five would hold on to their staff during the third quarter of the year, a survey of more than 2,100 employers by recruitment giant Manpower showed.

Employers in the public and social and utilities sectors were most optimistic about employment prospects. Mark Cahill, managing director of Manpower, said: While employer confidence on the whole remains weak, the survey indicates a slower rate of decline in employer-hiring confidence in most industry sectors.”