Percentage of IT Workers Reporting Confidence Rises Amid Growing Tech Sector According To Spherion Employment Report
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., January 22, 2007 — The IT Employee Confidence Index grew by 5.3 points to 59.4 in the fourth quarter of 2006, according to the latest IT Employment Report released today conducted by Harris Interactive® on behalf of Spherion Corporation (NYSE: SFN). The Employee Confidence Index edged up primarily because more workers are optimistic about the economy and confident in their personal employment situation.
Results from the IT Employment Report:
- Nearly half of IT workers (46 percent) are likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months, compared to 38 percent in the third quarter.
- 32 percent of workers reported that they believe the economy is getting stronger, increasing 13 percentage points from the third quarter.
- The numbers of workers reporting that they believe more jobs are available increased by six percentage points to 33 percent in the fourth quarter.
“I am not surprised the IT Employee Confidence Index gained over five points last quarter,” said Brendan Courtney, senior vice president of Spherion® Professional Services Group. “The confluence of a low unemployment rate and continued growth in the technology sector has increased the number of employment prospects for IT professionals. In particular, we are seeing an increase in demand for IT professionals with strong project management and application development skills and expect that trend to continue throughout the year.”
|
IT Workers |
U.S. Workers |
|
3Q 2006 |
4Q 2006 |
% Point
Change |
3Q 2006 |
4Q 2006 |
% Point
Change |
| Economy |
Getting Stronger |
19% |
32% |
+13 |
20% |
25% |
+5 |
| Staying Same |
37% |
36% |
-1 |
36% |
40% |
+4 |
| Getting Weaker |
44% |
33% |
-11 |
44% |
36% |
-8 |
| Job Availability |
More Jobs |
27% |
33% |
+6 |
25% |
27% |
+2 |
| Same Amount |
30% |
34% |
+4 |
36% |
37% |
+1 |
| Fewer Jobs |
44% |
33% |
-11 |
39% |
36% |
-3 |
| Ability to Find New Job |
Confident |
52% |
55% |
+3 |
58% |
59% |
+1 |
| Neutral |
29% |
23% |
-6 |
28% |
26% |
-2 |
| Not Confident |
19% |
22% |
+3 |
14% |
14% |
0 |
| Future of Current Employer |
Confident |
59% |
60% |
+1 |
64% |
65% |
+1 |
| Neutral |
23% |
23% |
0 |
24% |
23% |
-1 |
| Not Confident |
17% |
17% |
0 |
12% |
13% |
+1 |
| Likelihood to Lose Job |
Likely |
16% |
16% |
0 |
11% |
11% |
0 |
| Neutral |
11% |
10% |
-1 |
10% |
10% |
0 |
| Not Likely |
73% |
74% |
+1 |
79% |
79% |
0 |
| Likelihood to Look for New Job |
Likely |
38% |
46% |
+8 |
35% |
36% |
+1 |
| Neutral |
15% |
11% |
-4 |
10% |
10% |
0 |
| Not Likely |
47% |
43% |
-4 |
54% |
53% |
-1 |
About the Spherion Employment Report
As part of the Spherion Emerging Workforce® series of employment surveys, the quarterly Spherion Information Technology Employment Report provides a snapshot of the latest workforce trends among information technology professionals across the country. Three key indices are measured: the Spherion Job Security Index, which captures how likely respondents think it is that they will lose their job or that their job will be eliminated in the next 12 months; the Spherion Job Transition Index, which captures how likely respondents are to look for a new job in the next 12 months and the Employee Confidence Index that measures employees’ overall confidence in the economy, their employer and their ability to find other employment. The Employee Confidence Index is calculated from the results of four components that reflect these aspects of employee confidence. For each component item a ‘score’ is calculated by taking the difference of the percentage of positive responses and the percentage of negative responses. These four scores are then averaged to indicate an overall level of employee confidence and is scaled from 0 (no confidence) to 100 (complete confidence). A reading above 50 indicates a positive confidence level.
Methodology
This 2006 Spherion IT Employment Report for the fourth quarter is based on data from a Harris Interactive online survey conducted on behalf of Spherion Corporation. A U.S. sample of 10,693 employed adults, aged 18 years and older, of whom 601 work in information technology positions within the United States between October 3-5, October 9-11, November 7-9, November 15-17, December 6-8, and December 11-13, 2006. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education and region were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.
With a pure probability sample of 10,693 adults one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results would have a sampling error of +/- 1 percentage point. Sampling error for the results of employed adults who work in information technology positions (n= 601) would be +/- 4 percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
About Spherion
Spherion Corporation (NYSE:SFN) is a leading recruiting and staffing company that provides integrated solutions to meet the evolving needs of companies and job candidates. As an industry pioneer for 60 years, Spherion has screened and placed millions of individuals in temporary, temp-to-hire and full-time jobs. Positions range from administrative and light industrial to a host of professions that include accounting/finance, information technology, engineering, manufacturing, legal, human resources and sales/marketing.
With approximately 650 locations in the United States and Canada, Spherion delivers innovative workforce solutions that improve business performance. Spherion provides its services to more than 8,000 customers, from Fortune 500 companies to a wide range of small and mid-size organizations. Employing 375,000 people annually through its network, Spherion is one of North America’s largest employers. To learn more, visit www.spherion.com. For up-to-date career tips and trends, visit Spherion’s career blog, The Big TimeSM, at www.spherion.com/careerblog.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides research-driven insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what could conceivably be the world’s largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.
To become a member of the Harris Poll Online and be invited to participate in online surveys, register at http://go.hpolsurveys.com/PR.
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