Indian companies to increase hiring: Manpower survey

16 March 2007

New York: Manpower Inc's 'employment outlook' survey, conducted across 27 countries, including the major economies, says India is among the few countries in the world where employers are optimistic of making new recruitments during this financial year's second quarter.

However, the survey, which gathered data from 50,000 employers worldwide, says though employment prospects in India are better than in many other countries, it will be weaker than in 2006.

In the US in contrast employers are expected to restrain their hiring during the second quarter, the survey shows. Jeffrey A Joerres, chairman and CEO of Manpower Inc, said that the last three quarters of survey data suggests that employers "are shifting into neutral (in the United States) when it comes to hiring."

The other countries where the prospects are positive are Japan, Singapore, Peru, South Africa, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.

Of the countries surveyed in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, job prospects are strongest in South Africa, Ireland, Switzerland, Norway and the UK, while French employers reported the weakest hiring growth expectations.

Hiring projections for the eight countries included in the survey across the Asia Pacific region are mixed, with a weaker job market ahead for Taiwan and Hong Kong compared to last year.