Fewer Honolulu firms hiring
Amid mass layoffs of hundreds of Hawaii workers, fewer Honolulu employers intend to hire in the fourth quarter from a year ago, according to the latest employment outlook released today by
Manpower Inc.
Of the 30 Hawaii employers representing a cross section of different types of companies, only 17 percent plan to hire more workers in the upcoming months, while 10 percent expect to reduce their payrolls. On a brighter note, the majority of workers - another 73 percent - expect to maintain current staffing levels, according to the survey.
"Hiring intentions for the fourth quarter are weaker," Manpower spokeswoman Karen Tarca said.
By comparison, 20 percent of businesses planned to hire and 3 percent expected to cut workers a year ago.
In the third quarter of this year, 33 percent of companies expected to add employees in the third quarter and 7 percent intended to reduce staff, the survey said.
The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization predicts zero job growth for 2008.
Job prospects in the upcoming quarter are best in transportation/public utilities, wholesale/retail trade, and public administration.
However, construction and services companies plan to reduce staffing levels as the sector slows. Local economists predict that construction employment for 2008 will remain close to the 2007 average of 39,000 jobs.
Hiring in other sectors, including durable and non-durable goods manufacturing, finance/insurance/real estate and education, are expected to remain flat.
Nationally, 22 percent of the 14,000 employers surveyed expect to increase staffing from October to December, while 13 percent intend to reduce payrolls, resulting in a net employment outlook of 9 percent. Another 59 percent expect no change in their work force, while 6 percent were undecided.