Employers are feeling optimistic about hiring

HR pros are preparing for a busy spring of recruiting, ManpowerGroup’s latest employment outlook survey, released on March 12, showed.

The Q2 US net employment outlook—measured by subtracting the percentage of employers that expect to reduce staff from the percentage planning to hire—increased by 4% YOY to +34%, according to a survey of 6,000 US firms, part of the company’s global survey of 40,000 respondents. Almost one-half (48%) of US employers surveyed planned to add staff in Q2, while 14% expected layoffs and 33% didn’t anticipate staffing changes.

Tech and manufacturing, along with IT, finance and real estate, industrials and materials, and healthcare, are the industries looking to do the most hiring, according to the survey.

While the outlook did improve YOY, it dipped 1% from Q1. The decline can be attributed to workforce reductions across several sectors, including tech and manufacturing, Rajesh Namboothiry, North America SVP of delivery transformation and strategy at ManpowerGroup, told HR Brew.

Zoom out. HR pros looking to fill open positions will have to contend with a job market in which many employees aren’t actively looking for new opportunities, HR Brew previously reported. The rate at which US workers voluntarily quit their jobs fell to 2.1% in January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover summary, the lowest level since August 2020.

“It’s just going to take some more effort by HR teams to make a compelling argument on why people should make a move,” Neil Costa, founder and CEO of digital recruitment marketing agency HireClix, told us earlier this month.

Employers looking to hire should prioritize flexible work arrangements and work-life balance, Namboothiry said. 39% of the hiring managers ManpowerGroup surveyed said flexibility has been their most effective recruitment and retention tool, especially when it comes to finding and keeping diverse talent.

Internal leadership development programs, as well as mentoring and coaching opportunities and creating an inclusive culture, can also help recruit and retain talent, according to the survey. Of the US employers surveyed, three in 10 said these initiatives have helped them attract diverse talent.

“Talent is looking for flexibility; they’re looking for a very clearly outlined career path in terms of what their next five years looks like at this company,” Namboothiry said. “Flexibility, their ability to continue to grow their career path, and compensation are top [of mind for employees].”