Demand for New Staff in the Second Quarter of 2008, Remains Strong in New Zealand according to Manpower Employment
Outlook Survey
AUCKLAND, March 11/Medianet International-AsiaNet/ --
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released today shows that whilst the employment prospects for New Zealand’s job
seekers remain positive, the Net Employment Outlook for the upcoming quarter is below the long-term average.
The survey of 982 employers across New Zealand reveals that employers are being relatively cautious in their hiring
plans for the second quarter of 2008, especially in comparison to the survey results reported in recent quarters.
According to the seasonally adjusted results of the survey, employer confidence declines by seven percentage points this
quarter in a year-over-year comparison.
The demands of New Zealand’s employment market appear to be moderating in the April - June quarter of 2008, with a Net
Employment Outlook of +21% reported in the second quarter of 2008. However, this is a one percentage point decrease
compared to the previous quarter and below the high Net Employment Outlook of +28% reported in the April - June quarter
of 2007.
According to Catherine Lo-Giacco, General Manager of Manpower New Zealand, “Although employer hiring expectations are
softer from this time last year, demand remains healthy. In the very tight labour market that exists across New Zealand
demand for staff is significantly impacted by the outward flow of domestic talent to other markets. The skills shortage
continues to create very real structural changes in the workforce. This simply means companies need to employ strategies
to ensure they not only hire the right talent, but ensure they have policies in place to make sure they retain staff.
“Employers in the Public Administration & Education sector report the most optimistic hiring intentions at +30%. Additionally, employers in all three regions
surveyed report active hiring intentions over the next three months. Employers in Wellington are the most optimistic
(+23%), followed by those in Auckland (+22%) and Christchurch (+20%)” Lo Giacco noted.
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