A steady employment pattern is emerging for the Providence area this summer, according to the latest Employment Outlook Survey, released today by Manpower, Inc.
The quarterly poll of local firms reveals that 27-percent plan to increase their staffs during the July/August/September period, while 10 percent foresee reductions. Another 63 percent will stay at current levels.
Beyond Cash Donations: How New Forms of Giving Are Transforming Not-for-Profit Accounting
Evolving Funding Landscape for Not-for-Profits Not-for-profit organizations are being asked to do more with less,…
Learn More
“Three months ago the outlook was pleasant,” said Sheldon Sollosy of Manpower. “When 20 percent reported hiring intentions and 7 percent foresaw the need to trim personnel. A year ago at this time employers were more upbeat, as 33 percent said they would add workers and 3 percent predicted cutbacks.”
Looking ahead, hiring appears likely in durable and non-durable goods manufacturing and services. Wholesale/retail merchants plan to cut back. Other sectors are expected to remain relatively stable.
On a national basis, employers expect to increase their hiring activity during the summer months, extending the steady progress toward recovery first seen in the second quarter. Current results indicate 27 percent of firms interviewed intend to staff up, 8 percent anticipate reducing personnel levels, and 59 percent foresee no changes. The remaining 6 percent are uncertain of their plans.
Leonard Lardaro, an economist at the University of Rhode Island who tracks employment trends in the state, has a less optimistic view than Manpower for the employment picture this summer – especially for manufacturing.
“Our manufacturing job base continues to contract substantially, at a rate of 5 to 6 percent annually,” Lardaro said, adding that the number of manufacturing jobs in the state has been dwindling every year since 1984. “There may be some jobs added in a few places, but overall, manufacturing is really, really not a good sector to look to for job growth.”
Although the economy both locally and nationally is widely considered to be in recovery, Lardaro said manufacturing firms would be slow to add temporary or permanent positions when production picks up. Instead, they will try to boost the productivity of existing workers, through increased overtime, for instance, instead of adding workers.
The retail sector is more likely to add jobs this summer, Lardaro said, but those are more likely to be low-end, minimum wage jobs, rather than management positions or other higher-paying jobs.
