New York Employment Report: More Workers Confident in Personal Employment Situation, Optimistic About Strength of Economy
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Nearly 60 percent of workers confident in future of current employer
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Percentage of workers optimistic about job availability increases
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Fewer New York workers likely to look for a new job
NEW YORK, N.Y., October 19, 2006 – The New York Employee Confidence Index increased one point to 52.9 in September, according to the Spherion® Employment Report, a monthly survey conducted by Harris Interactive® on behalf of Spherion Corporation (NYSE:SFN). This rise in confidence was due primarily to over half of New York workers (58 percent) reporting confidence in the future of their current employer, up seven percentage points from the previous month.
In addition, the percentage of workers confident in their ability to find a new job rose two percentage points to 59 percent. More workers were also confident in the job market, with 18 percent reporting more jobs were available—up two percentage points from August.
Despite these increased confidence levels, only 29 percent of workers said they were likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months, down from 38 percent in August.
“More employers are taking notice of the rebound in worker confidence and are responding with enhanced retention efforts to keep employees satisfied and secure in their current positions. However, in a candidate-driven marketplace, workers will almost always entertain new employment opportunities,” said John Gramer, New York regional managing director of Spherion Professional Services. “Although we have seen a slight slowdown in recent hiring across industries in addition to professional services, the overall statewide employment picture remains strong, as it merely adjusts to the hiring blitz from earlier in the year.”
Employee Confidence Index: The New York Employee Confidence Index was 52.9 in September, up one point from August. The Index, which is 1.1 points higher than a year ago, measures adult workers’ confidence in their personal employment situation and optimism in the macroeconomic environment. The percentage of workers reporting confidence increased slightly, primarily because more workers expressed confidence in their personal employment situation and the job market.
|
New York Workers |
U.S. Workers |
|
Aug |
Sep |
% Point
Change |
Aug |
Sep |
% Point
Change |
| Economy |
Getting Stronger |
12% |
13% |
+1 |
18% |
21% |
+4 |
| Staying Same |
39% |
38% |
-1 |
36% |
38% |
+2 |
| Getting Weaker |
49% |
50% |
+1 |
47% |
41% |
-6 |
| Job Availability |
More Jobs |
16% |
18% |
+2 |
24% |
25% |
+1 |
| Same Amount |
44% |
38% |
-6 |
34% |
38% |
+4 |
| Fewer Jobs |
40% |
44% |
+4 |
42% |
38% |
-4 |
| Ability to Find New Job |
Confident |
57% |
59% |
+2 |
57% |
61% |
+4 |
| Neutral |
28% |
26% |
-2 |
30% |
25% |
-5 |
| Not Confident |
15% |
15% |
0 |
14% |
13% |
-1 |
| Future of Current Employer |
Confident |
51% |
58% |
+7 |
63% |
65% |
+2 |
| Neutral |
32% |
25% |
-7 |
25% |
23% |
-2 |
| Not Confident |
17% |
16% |
-1 |
13% |
12% |
-1 |
| Likelihood to Lose Job |
Likely |
13% |
7% |
-6 |
11% |
11% |
0 |
| Neutral |
7% |
13% |
+6 |
10% |
10% |
0 |
| Not Likely |
80% |
80% |
0 |
79% |
79% |
0 |
| Likelihood to Look for New Job |
Likely |
38% |
29% |
-9 |
35% |
36% |
+1 |
| Neutral |
13% |
12% |
-1 |
11% |
10% |
-1 |
| Not Likely |
49% |
59% |
+10 |
54% |
54% |
0 |
About the Spherion Employment Report
As part of the Spherion Emerging Workforce® Series of employment surveys, the monthly Spherion Employment Report provides a snapshot of the latest workforce trends across the country and is issued in conjunction with state and national labor market releases. 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, which measures employees’ overall confidence in the economy, the future of their employer, the availability of jobs, and their ability to find other employment. The Employee Confidence Index is based on these four components, with a ‘score’ calculated for each 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 scaled from 0 (no confidence) to 100 (complete confidence). A reading above 50 indicates a positive confidence level.
Methodology
The September 2006 Spherion Employment Report is based on data from a Harris Interactive® QuickQuerySM online omnibus conducted on behalf of Spherion Corporation. A U.S. sample of 3,071 employed adults aged 18 years and older, of whom 225 are employed in New York (for Aug 2006 n= 260), was interviewed in a series of two polls conducted between September 5-7 and September 11-13, 2006. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education and region were weighted where necessary to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting adjusted for respondents’ propensity to be online.
With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 3,071 U.S. employed adults one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a samplingerror of +/- two percentage points, and the sampling error for the New York state sample results is plus or minus six 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 offices 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, visit http://go.hpolsurveys.com/PR.
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