Boost in business activity spurs Utah hiring forecast

Wasatch Front employers are reporting stronger hiring expectations for the next few months, according to a survey released today.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, a forward-looking poll of public and private employers, showed that 31 percent of Utah companies surveyed said they planned to hire more workers during the second quarter of 2005. Three percent said they'd probably make cutbacks, while 65 percent expected to keep current staff levels.

"This is a nice change because the first-quarter report was so bad," said Robert Katz, Manpower's Utah spokesman. "I think this is a lot more reflective of what's going on. There is a lot more activity. Construction seems to be starting up again. Employees are becoming harder to find. These are signs that employment is starting to pick up."

In its survey of first-quarter 2005 hiring intentions, Manpower found that 10 percent of Utah companies surveyed expected to hire more employees, while 23 percent planned layoffs.

By comparison, 27 percent of Salt Lake City and Ogden employers said they expected to bring on more workers during the second quarter. Sixty-three percent of Ogden employers surveyed said they planned no changes, compared to 73 percent in Salt Lake City. Ten percent of businesses surveyed in Ogden expected to trim staffing levels. None of the Salt Lake businesses surveyed for the study said they planned to make cutbacks.

Orem was the big winner in Manpower's second quarter outlook, with 40 percent of businesses surveyed indicating hiring intentions. Fifty-seven percent of businesses said they didn't expect to make staffing changes. None reportedly expected to make layoffs.

Manpower reported that for the coming quarter, the strongest job prospects might be found in mining, construction, manufacturing, retail and public administration.

Utah's survey results matched Manpower's national findings. In its survey of 16,000 employers nationwide, 30 percent reported hiring intentions. Another 7 percent expected to reduce payrolls, while 58 percent expected to keep current levels.

The local and national numbers bode well for 2005 and beyond, according to Katz.

"I had expected growth to continue for all of this year," Katz said. "Not runaway growth, but nice growth — getting us close to full employment, I'd imagine, toward the end of the year. Whether we get back to where we were pre-recession, that may take until next year. But we're headed in the right direction."

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