Survey: Fewer plan job cutbacks
Manpower Inc. says the overall outlook for Honolulu is positive
The outlook for Honolulu's job market is positive overall, and better than the national outlook for the second quarter of 2007, Manpower Inc. reported in its latest employment outlook survey.
The survey found that 40 percent of companies interviewed plan to hire more employees from April to June, and only 3 percent expect to reduce their payrolls -- a sharp departure from the previous quarter. Most of the rest -- 47 percent -- expect to maintain their current staff levels, while 10 percent remained uncertain.
In the first-quarter survey, nearly as many of companies surveyed -- 38 percent -- thought job gains were likely, but 24 percent reported that they intended to cut back.
At the same time last year, 37 percent planned to increase staffing, while none planned cutbacks.
Since June, Hawaii has recorded the lowest unemployment rate than the nation, according to the state Depart- ment of Labor and Industrial Relations.
Manpower's survey reports a brighter outlook than a recent report by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Center, which forecasts an eventual uptick in the unemployment rate this year and next. UHERO predicted job growth in retail, tourism and real estate will slow as both residential construction and tourism level off.
Nationally, Manpower's survey found that 23 percent of employers forecast an increase in hiring, while 60 percent expect no change.
Job prospects for Honolulu the second quarter of this year appear best in construction, transportation/public utilities, wholesale/retail trade, education, services and public administration, according to Manpower.
Employers in non-durable goods manufacturing plan to reduce staffing levels, while hiring in durable goods manufacturing and finance/insurance and real estate is expected to remain unchanged.