U.S. employers are reporting the strongest nationwide hiring intentions in 13 years at +21%, according to the Q3 2019 ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) Employment Outlook Survey.* The last time the survey of more than 11,500 employers reported an Outlook as high as +21% was in Q3 2006.
Employers in all 13 industries report double-digit hiring intentions, suggesting continued strength in the labor market at a time when open jobs have outnumbered unemployed U.S. workers for 13 consecutive months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The most optimistic Outlooks are reported in Professional & Business Services (28%) and Leisure & Hospitality (+27%), reflecting an increase in automated processes and consumer spending that hit a six-month high in Q2, fueling demand for workers with both digital and soft skills. Prospects also look prosperous for jobseekers in Transportation & Utilities (+25%) and robust in Wholesale & Retail Trade (+24%) as customer demand for last mile delivery continues to grow.
“At a time of record low unemployment and employer optimism at levels we haven’t seen since the mid-2000s, we need to do more to connect people to jobs if we’re going to sustain economic growth,” said Becky Frankiewicz, President of ManpowerGroup North America. “With such strong competition for talent, skilled workers are choosing when, where and how they work. We find jobs for 275,000 workers every year and know flexibility, access to childcare and clear career paths are especially attractive benefits to women and men. To find and retain top talent, the best companies are offering holistic benefits packages with accelerated training programs and opportunities to learn, earn more and move up so employees have the skills for jobs today and tomorrow.”
View complete Q3 2019 survey results for the U.S.: ManpowerGroup.US/MEOS.
| Region | Q3 2019 | Quarter-over- Quarter Variation | Year-over-Year Variation |
| West | 22% | +2% | +5% |
| Midwest | 21% | +2% | +2% |
| South | 20% | 0% | +1% |
| Northeast | 19% | +1% | +3% |
U.S. Hiring Plans by Industry Sectors, Regions and Metro Areas/States
- Nationwide, employers in all 13 industry sectors expect to add staff in Q3 2019. The strongest Outlooks are reported in Professional & Business Services (+28%), Leisure & Hospitality (+27%), Transportation & Utilities (+25%), Wholesale & Retail Trade (+24%) and Construction (+21%) followed by Government (+20%), Mining (+19%), Durable Goods Manufacturing (+18%), Financial Activities (+17%) and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing (+16%).*
- Both the West (+22%) and the Midwest (+21%) have the strongest regional Outlooks in the country and the highest reported Outlooks in 11 and 18 years, respectively. Hiring prospects in the South (+20%) are close behind with employers in the Northeast (+19%) not far behind.
- Employers in Maine (+34%), Wisconsin (+34%), Alaska (+33%), North Dakota (+32%), and West Virginia (+32%) report the strongest Outlooks nationwide. Of the 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas, the strongest job gains are expected in Charlotte, N.C., (+37%), Grand Rapids, Mich. (+36%), Madison, Wis. (+34%), Columbia, S.C. (+33%), Milwaukee, Wis. (+33%) and San Jose, Calif. (+33%).
Complete results for the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey are available for download at ManpowerGroup.US/MEOS. The Q4 2019 survey will be released Sept. 10, 2019.
*The Net Employment Outlook is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity and subtracting from this the percentage of employers expecting a decrease in hiring activity.