In this issue we will give the employment-outlook results for the Asia-Pacific and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), in which human-resources directors and senior hiring managers were asked the 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 [Q4/2009] quarter?"
Nearly 16,000 interviews were conducted across the Asia-Pacific to measure anticipated hiring activity in the first quarter. Hiring plans are strongest in India, Singapore, Taiwan and Australia, with Japanese employers reporting the weakest - and only negative - outlook. Employer optimism increased from the final quarter in all countries and territories surveyed. Year-on-year comparisons also reveal stronger hiring plans in all countries and territories, except Japan.
Employer hiring intentions in the manufacturing sector boosted optimism throughout the region, with forecasts for the sector improving in every country and territory from both three months ago and the same period last year.
Considerable quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year improvements in India's services sector are a key reason for the country's employers anticipating the strongest hiring plans in the region. Conversely, the survey indicates Japanese employers remain the most reluctant to hire in the region: the weakest job prospects were reported in Japan's transportation and utilities sector, where 24 per cent of employers planned to reduce staff in the first three months of the year.
Interviews with employers were conducted to measure anticipated employment trends across the EMEA for this quarter. Expectations were mixed, with employers reporting positive hiring activity. Compared to three months ago, the pace of hiring is expected to improve in nine countries - and in eight countries where year-on-year comparisons can be made.
Hiring activity in the region is expected to be strongest in South Africa, Norway and Sweden. German employers also anticipated a stronger labour market, fuelled partly by optimism in the finance and business services sector, where 16 per cent of employers indicated they would add employees in the period.
Negative hiring intentions were reported in eight countries for the first three months of the year. Declining employer confidence among the Dutch manufacturing sector employers contributed to the country's least optimistic - and only negative - forecast since the survey began in the country. Employers in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania also reported their weakest hiring plans to date.
WANNAPORN SRIVATTHANANGKOON is marketing communication manager of Manpower, a leading employment services firm. She may be contacted at hrrecruitment@manpower.th.com
