manpower employment outlook survey: united states - q3, 2005

8/9/2019 Manpower Employment Outlook Survey: United States - Q3, 2005

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Contents

United States Employment Outlook 2

Regional Comparisons

Sector Comparisons

Global Employment Outlook 14

International Comparisons Americas

International Comparisons Asia Pacific

International Comparisons Europe

About the Survey 20

About Manpower 21


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Manpower Employment Outlook Survey USA

The United States Employment Outlook

Increase Decrease No Change Dont KnowNet Employment

Outlook

Seasonally

Adjusted

% % % % % %

1st Quarter 2005 24 10 59 7 14 21

2nd Quarter 2005 30 7 58 5 23 21

3rd Quarter 2005 31 6 57 6 25 21

3rd Quarter 2004 30 6 59 5 24 20

4th Quarter 2004 28 7 60 5 21 20

Seasonally adjusted data tells a familiar story. The Net

Employment Outlook for the third quarter of 2005 is

identical to the April to June forecast, and very similar

to a year ago. U.S. employers have reported healthy

hiring expectations since second quarter of 2004. This

pattern mirrors a period in the late 1990s when

employers were consistently optimistic about hiring for

more than two years.

Throughout this report, we use the term Net Employment

Outlook. This figure is derived by taking the percentage

of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity

and subtracting from this the percentage of employers

that expect to see a decrease in employment at their

location in the next quarter.

Nearly 16,000 interviews have been conducted with

employers across the United States to measure

anticipated employment trends between July and

September 2005. All participants were asked, How

do you anticipate total employment at your location to

change in the three months to the end of September

2005 as compared to the current quarter?

Of the U.S. employers that were surveyed, 31% expect

an increase in hiring activity for the third quarter, while

6% expect a decrease in employment opportunities.

Fifty-seven percent of companies polled foresee no

change in workforce levels, and 6% are unsure of their

staffing plans.

Net Employment OutlookNet Employment Outlook Seasonally AdjustedSeasonally Adjusted

89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

The results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey in the United States include Puerto Rico.


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Net Employment

Outlook

Seasonally

AdjustedIncrease Decrease No Change Dont Know

% % % %%%

Construction 43 3 49 405 27Education 24 11 61 13 174

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate 23 4 66 7 19 19

Manufacturing Durables 31 8 56 5 23 20

Manufacturing Non-Durables 28 7 60 5 1821

Mining 31 6 57 6 2025

Public Administration 26 8 60 18 156

Services 30 6 57 7 24 20

Transportation & Public Utilities 27 5 61 7 22 21

Wholesale & Retail Trade 34 5 56 5 29 22

At the overall national level, the margin of error on the data is +/ 0.8%.

Net Employment SeasonallyIncrease Decrease No Change Dont Know

Outlook Adjusted

% % % %

Midwest

Northeast 29 7 58 6 22 17

32 5 58 5 27 24

28 7 60 5 21 16

South

West 35 8 49 8 27 23

% %

On a seasonally adjusted basis, employers in half of

the 10 industry sectors surveyed expect that the third

quarter hiring pace will be on par with second quarter

projections. These sectors include Durable and Non-

Durable Goods Manufacturing, Wholesale/Retail Trade,

Services and Public Administration.

The employment outlook is slightly stronger for the

coming quarter in Construction, Transportation/Public

Utilities and Education, while a more sluggish hiring pace

is expected in Mining and Finance/Insurance/Real Estate.

Most of the employers surveyed expect little change

in job prospects compared to last year at this time.

Six sectors fall into that category, including Mining,


Finance/Insurance/Real Estate, Education and Services.

Transportation/Public Utilities, Construction and Public

Administration employers plan to pick up the hiring

pace during the third quarter. Non-Durable Goods

Manufacturers are the only group to express waning

confidence compared with a year ago.

Midwest, who report the weakest employment outlook,foresee less hiring activity for the coming quarter.

This marks the first time in more than a year that the

Northeast does not lag the other regions in hiring

expectations. Year-over-year comparisons mirror the

quarter-over-quarter analysis.

According to seasonally adjusted survey results, thirdquarter hiring estimates are similar to those reported

last quarter in two out of the four U.S. regions surveyed

the Northeast and the West. Employers in the South

are somewhat more optimistic about hiring than they

were last quarter. The South is also the region with the

most promising job prospects. Employers in the


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Regional Comparisons

Midwest

Net Employment

Outlook

Seasonally


%%%%% %

All Industries 28 7 60 5 21 16

Construction 43 2 51 4 41 21

Education 1517 65 3 2 5



Manufacturing Non-Durables 24 7 64 5 17 13

Mining 20 0 80 0 820

Public Administration 23 11 61 5 12 7

Services 27 6 62 5 21 16

Transportation & Public Utilities 27 624 7 23 20



89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

The Midwest Region comprises the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,

South Dakota, Wisconsin.

In the Midwest, 28% of employers surveyed foresee an

increase in hiring for the third quarter of 2005, while 7%

plan to reduce staff levels. The result is a Net Employment

Outlook of 21%. When seasonal factors are removed

from the data, the survey shows that employers foresee

a slight decline in the hiring pace compared to last

quarter and a year ago. Among the four regions

surveyed, employers in the Midwest reveal the weakest

hiring intentions.

Employers in two of the 10 sectors surveyed express

somewhat more positive hiring plans compared with

last quarter Construction and Transportation/Public

Utilities. A slight decline in the hiring pace is expected in


Education, Services and Public Administration. A more

noticeable slowdown in hiring is predicted for Non-

Durable Goods Manufacturing and Finance/Insurance/Real

Estate, while Mining employers report a significant

decrease in hiring intentions.

Public Administration is the only Midwest sector to report

increased confidence about hiring compared with a year

ago. The job market is expected to remain relatively

unchanged in Construction, Transportation/Public Utilities,

Wholesale/Retail Trade and Finance/Insurance/Real

Estate. A slower hiring pace is expected in Durable and

Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, Education,

Services and especially Mining.


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Net Employment

Outlook

Seasonally


% % % % % %

All Industries 29 7 58 6 1722

Construction 41 531 5 40 24

Education 17 13 66 4 4 10



Manufacturing Non-Durables 27 8 19 15

Mining 0 50 -50 -26

Public Administration 18 6 12 9

Services 31 6 25 18

Transportation & Public Utilities 23 6

58

50

70

55

67

7

0

6

8

4 17 18


89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05

Net Employment Outlook Seasonally Adjusted

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Northeast

The Northeast Region comprises the following states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,

Rhode Island, Vermont.

Among employers surveyed in the Northeast, 29% intend

to staff up, while 7% plan to decrease headcount during

the July September period. Thus, the Net Employment

Outlook is 22%. When seasonal variations are removed

from the data, the employment forecast for the

Northeast is identical to the first two quarters of 2005

and similar to a year ago. However, for the first time in

more than a year, the Northeast did not report the

weakest employment outlook of the regions.

The hiring pace is expected to strengthen in Wholesale/

Retail Trade, Construction, Services and Public

Administration compared with last quarter. Employer

confidence remains steady in Durable and Non-Durable

Goods Manufacturing, and Transportation/Public

Utilities. Job seekers in the Northeast are likely to have

trouble locating work in Finance/Insurance/Real Estate,

Education and especially Mining where employers

foresee notable declines in hiring.

Compared with last year at this time, Construction

employers are considerably more upbeat about hiring.

Transportation/Public Utilities and Public Administration

employers also report a more positive employment

outlook. A notable decline in the hiring pace is

projected for Mining and Education. Hiring is also

expected to be slower in Finance/Insurance/Real Estate

and Durable and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing.

Hiring plans are consistent in Wholesale/Retail Trade

and Services.


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South

Net Employment

Outlook

Seasonally


% % % % % %


Construction 42 494 5 38 30

Education 33 5 57 5 28 29




Mining 31 2 61 6 29 26

Public Administration 26 626 6 20 18

Services 31 6 57 6 25 23

Transportation & Public Utilities 28 622 8 26 25


Net Employment OutlookNet Employment Outlook Seasonally AdjustedSeasonally Adjusted89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

The South Region comprises the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,

Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia.

In the South, 32% of employers surveyed anticipate an

increase in payrolls for the third quarter of 2005, while

5% expect to reduce employment levels, yielding a Net

Employment Outlook of 27%. The seasonally adjusted

data suggests a slight improvement in the hiring pace

for the coming quarter when compared with second

quarter and a year ago at this time. In fact, the

employment outlook for the South is the strongest

of the four U.S. regions.

Among the sectors, quarter-over-quarter comparisons

are varied. The hiring pace is likely to pick up in

Transportation/Public Utilities, Education, Construction,

Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing and Wholesale/Retail

Trade, while employer confidence is down slightly in

Mining and Finance/Insurance/Real Estate. Hiring plans

are similar to those reported for the second quarter in

Durable Goods Manufacturing, Services and Public

Administration.

Positive trends emerge in the year-over-year comparisons.

Employers are more confident about hiring plans in nine

out of 10 sectors. They include Transportation/Public

Utilities, Education, Public Administration, Mining,

Construction, Durable and Non-Durable Goods

Manufacturing, Wholesale/Retail Trade and

Finance/Insurance/Real Estate. Job prospects in the

Services sector are likely to remain unchanged.


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West

Net Employment

Outlook

Seasonally


% % % % % %


Construction 48 2 45 5 46 36

Education 28 15 51 6 13 16




Mining 41 12 35 12 29 17

Public Administration 33 8 53 6 25 23

Services 36 6 49 9 30 26

Transportation & Public Utilities 29 9 52 10 20 19



89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

The West Region comprises the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,

Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Thirty-five percent of employers surveyed in the West are

likely to increase staff levels, while 8% expect to trim

payrolls during the third quarter. This creates a Net

Employment Outlook of 27%. Seasonally adjusted data

reveals that employers in the West have remained

consistent in their hiring plans since the third quarter

of 2004.

Compared with last quarter, employer confidence

increased slightly in Construction, Non-Durable Goods

Manufacturing, Education and Services. Hiring plans are

expected to remain stable in Durable Goods Manufacturing

and Wholesale/Retail Trade. The hiring pace is likely to

slow in Transportation/Public Utilities, Finance/Insurance/

Real Estate, Mining and Public Administration.

Year-over-year comparisons reveal a wide range of

results. The job market in Construction and Public

Administration is likely to improve significantly.

Job seekers in Education and Services are also expected

to fare better during the third quarter than they would

have a year ago. On the other hand, Wholesale/Retail

Trade, Finance/Insurance/Real Estate, Durable Goods

Manufacturing, Transportation/Public Utilities and

Mining all report a slower hiring pace. No change is

expected in Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing.


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Sector Comparisons

Among the 10 industry sectors analyzed, Construction

employers are the most confident about employment

prospects for the third quarter of 2005, according to theseasonally adjusted data. A strong hiring pace is expected

in Wholesale/Retail Trade, Transportation/Public Utilities,

Services, Mining and Durable Goods Manufacturing.

Although employment prospects are healthy, the hiring

pace is projected to be more moderate in Finance/

Insurance/Real Estate, Non-Durable Goods Manufacturingand Education, as compared with the other sectors.

Public Administration employers are most conservative

in their staffing plans for the third quarter.

Construction

Education

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate

Manufacturing Durables

Manufacturing Non-Durables

Mining

Public Administration

Services

Transportation & Public Utilities

Wholesale & Retail Trade

19

27

1317

0 4540

2520

1815

24

21

20

2922

23

20

21

22

18

19


40

5 10 15 20 25 30 35


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Construction


89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05

-20-15-10-5

05

10152025303540

Robust hiring in the Construction sector is likely to

continue during the third quarter, according to seasonally

adjusted data. Among the sectors, Construction has

the strongest employment outlook. Employers are

slightly more confident about adding staff than they

were last quarter, and the employment outlook shows

solid improvement from a year ago.

Employers in the West are most likely to welcome job

seekers, while those in the Midwest report decidedly

less optimistic hiring plans.

Education


89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

When seasonal variations are removed from the data,

Education employers show a measured increase in

confidence regarding employment prospects. The hiring

pace is expected to be up slightly from last quarter and

consistent with hiring plans reported last year at this time.

Employers in the South, where the strongest hiring

pace is expected, are considerably more upbeat than

those in the Midwest, the least confident of the regions.


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Manufacturing Durable Goods


89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Durable Goods Manufacturers plan to keep third quarter

hiring relatively consistent with the April June period

and with a year ago, according to seasonally adjusted

data. Although there has been little variation in the

employment forecast since the second quarter of 2004,

hiring plans in this sector have dipped slightly since the

beginning of the year.

Job seekers in search of manufacturing opportunities

may want to head South, where job prospects are

strongest. Hiring plans in the Northeast and Midwest

are more conservative.

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate

Net Employment Outlook Seasonally Adjusted89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05

0

5

10

15

20

25

After a year and a half of steady job market growth,

employers in Finance/Insurance/Real Estate express

diminished confidence about hiring for the third quarter

of 2005, according to seasonally adjusted data.

Compared with last quarter, a moderate decline in the

hiring pace is expected, but the employment outlook is

in line with expectations from last year at this time.

Among the regions, employers in the South reveal

the most optimism in their hiring plans. Employers in

the Midwest and Northeast expect a much more

temperate job market.


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Mining


the Mining employment outlook for the coming quarter

suggests a decline in the hiring pace. Employer

confidence levels show a moderate drop compared

with last quarter but remain consistent with projections

from a year ago.

Employers in the South have the strongest hiring plans.

Those looking for work are likely to find a bleak jobs

picture in the Northeast, where employers planning to

decrease staff levels outweigh those planning to hire.

Manufacturing Non-Durable Goods


89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 050

5

10

15

20

25

30

For the coming quarter, seasonally adjusted hiring plans

in the Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing sector are

relatively consistent with the April June period, but job

prospects have slowly declined since the final months

of 2004.

A rapid hiring pace is likely in the South, while employers

in the Midwest are considerably more reserved.


-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30


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Public Administration

The third quarter employment outlook suggests that a steady

hiring pace will continue in the Public Administration sector.

According to seasonally adjusted data, government employers

report hiring plans that mirror second quarter. Employers

foresee a moderate increase in hiring over last year.

Employers in the West are most confident about adding

staff, while those in the Midwest anticipate slower hiring

than in the other three regions.


89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Services


0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Services employers remain consistent in their hiring

plans for the July September period, according to

seasonally adjusted data. Since the second quarter of

2004, employers have reported very similar hiring plans,

and the trend continues for the coming quarter.

Job seekers in the West are most likely to find employers

in a hiring mode. Those seeking work in the Midwest

can expect to encounter the fewest employers looking

to increase staff levels.


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Wholesale & Retail Trade


89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05-15-10-505

101520253035

Transportation & Public Utilities


89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05-5

0

5

10

15

20

25


Transportation/Public Utilities employers expect the

hiring pace to pick up in the coming quarter. Compared

with last quarter and last year, moderately stronger job

prospects are likely.

For the last year and a half, the West has been the

bright spot for Transportation/Public Utilities jobs, but

for the third quarter, employment projections are most

promising in the South and weakest in the Northeast.

According to seasonally adjusted data, Wholesale/Retail

Trade employers expect more of the same steady hiring

pace. The job landscape is expected to remain

unchanged from last quarter and a year ago, as there

has been little variation in the employment outlook

since the second quarter of 2004.

For the July September period, hiring intentions are

strongest in the South and weakest in the Midwest.


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Global Employment Outlookconditions from last year at this time. India, Taiwan,

New Zealand and Hong Kong employers reported the

strongest hiring expectations, while those in

Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands anticipated the

weakest hiring activity. Notably, German employers

reported positive employment expectations for the first

time this quarter.

In the U.S., Canada and the UK, seasonally adjusted

results reveal continuing employer optimism and solid

hiring activity.

Over 45,000 employers have been interviewed across

23 countries and territories to measure anticipated

employment trends between July and September

2005. Employers in India and Switzerland were

surveyed for the first time this quarter.

Employers in 22 of the countries say they expect

positive hiring activity in the next three months. Based

on seasonally adjusted data, employers in just eight

countries mainly European reported stronger hiring

intentions compared to last quarter and nine

countries employers indicated improved hiring

Net Employment Outlook Qtr on Qtr ChangeAmericas Q2 2005 to Q3 2005

Canada 3 (0)1

Mexico -4

United States

Quarter 2 2005

%

26 (18)1

22

23 (21)1

Quarter 3 2005

%

29 (18)1

18

25 (21)1 2 (0)1

Net Employment Outlook Qtr on Qtr Change

Europe Q2 2005 to Q3 2005

Austria 3

Belgium 1

France 2

Germany 5

Ireland 5

Netherlands 5

Norway -2

Spain 0

UK -3 (0)1

Italy

Quarter 2 2005

%

2

7

2

-1

15

-2

19

10

15 (12)1

3

Quarter 3 2005

%

5

8

4

4

20

3

17

10

Switzerland N/A 0

Sweden 29 11

12 (12)1

3 0

1. Number in parentheses is Net Employment Outlook when adjusted to remove the impact of seasonal variations in hiring activity for Canada, the UK

and the United States.

Net Employment Outlook

Asia Pacific

Australia -1

Quarter 3 2005

%

20

14

23

Quarter 2 2005

%

21

China -151328

35

30

Qtr on Qtr Change

Q2 2005 to Q3 2005

2219Hong Kong 3

Japan -21

34India N/A

New Zealand -7

Singapore 1112 -1

Taiwan 2435 -11


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15

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Line shows seasonally adjusted data.

International Comparisons Americas

Over 21,000 interviews have been conducted across

the United States, Canada and Mexico to measure

anticipated employment trends between July and

September 2005. The overall regional outlook is

positive, with employers in all three countries

anticipating positive hiring activity for the quarter ahead.

Employers in the U.S. and Mexico reported their most

optimistic third-quarter hiring outlooks in recent years,

and hiring in the U.S. is expected to continue at the

same solid pace seen over the last six quarters.

In Canada, employment prospects are expected to

be stable compared to the second quarter; however,

employers expect to take on more staff compared to

last year at this time.

Canada

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Mexico

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005


USA


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International Comparisons Asia Pacific

Nearly 13,000 interviews have been conducted across

Asia Pacific to measure anticipated employment trends

between July and September 2005.

Overall, hiring activity in Asia Pacific is expected to

soften for the third quarter of the year with employers

throughout the region, except those in Hong Kong,

reporting quarter-over-quarter decreases in hiring

activity. Only employers in Australia and Japan

indicated year-over-year improvements in hiring.

Employers in India, who were surveyed for the first time

by Manpower this quarter, reported the most optimistic

hiring expectations in Asia Pacific and among the other

22 countries and territories surveyed internationally.

Employers in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore

reported notable third-quarter employment prospects

compared to those negative or zero Net Employment

Outlooks recorded in quarter three of 2003. Employers

in New Zealand reported both quarter-over-quarter and

year-over-year decreases in hiring activity.

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Australia

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Hong Kong

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

This country joined the survey in Q2 2005.

2003 2004 2005

China

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20


2003 2004 2005

India


18/23


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International Comparisons Europe

Over 11,000 interviews have been conducted across

12 European nations to measure anticipated employment

trends between July and September 2005. Within the

majority of the European labor markets surveyed,

employers reported improved hiring expectations

compared to the previous quarter. However, compared

to last year, hiring intentions were weaker in five countries.

Employers in Switzerland were surveyed for the first time

by Manpower this quarter and expect stable employment

prospects for the third quarter of 2005. German

employers reported their first positive employment

expectations since the survey began in the country,

indicative of an improved labor market for the quarter

ahead. Similarly, employers in the Netherlands reversed

the second quarters negative outlook with positive

hiring intentions. Irish and Norwegian employers once

again anticipated the most buoyant hiring activity for

the quarter ahead in Europe. In Spain, Italy and the UK,

employment prospects are expected to be stable from

the outlooks reported in the previous quarter.

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

No bar indicates Net Employment Outlook of zero.

2003 2004 2005

Austria

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Belgium

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

France50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Germany


20/23

19

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Ireland

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20


2003 2004 2005

Italy

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Netherlands

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Norway

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Spain

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

2003 2004 2005

Sweden

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20



2003 2004 2005

0

Switzerland

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20


2003 2004 2005

UK


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The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted

quarterly to measure employers intentions to increase or

decrease the number of employees in their workforce during

the next quarter. The survey has been running for more than

40 years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment

activity in the world. Various factors underpin the success of the

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey:

Unique: It is unparalleled in its size, scope, longevity and area

of focus.

Projective: The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is the

most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the

world, asking employers to forecast employment over the next

quarter. In contrast, other surveys and studies focus on

retrospective data to report on what occurred in the past.

Focused: For more than four decades, the survey has derived

all of its information from a single question.

Independent:The survey is conducted with a representative

sample of employers from throughout the countries in which it

is conducted. The survey participants are not derived from

Manpowers customer base.

Robust:The survey is based on interviews with more than

45,000 public and private employers across 23 countries and

territories to measure anticipated employment trends each

quarter. This sample allows for analysis to be performed across

specific sectors and regions to provide more detailed information.

Methodology

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted usinga validated methodology, in accordance with the highest

standards in market research. The research team for the 23

countries and territories where the survey is currently conducted

includes Manpowers Market Intelligence team; the Organization

Research and Analysis Division of Right Management

Consultants an independent operating division of Manpower

Inc.; NOP World and Grupo IDM. The survey has been

structured to be representative of each national economy. The

margin of error for all national, regional and global data is not

greater than +/- 4.0%.

In the United States, the national survey is conducted by

Manpowers North American Market Intelligence Team and

includes 16,000 employers. With this number of interviews, themargin of error for the United States survey is +/- 0.8%.

Survey Question

All employers participating in the survey worldwide are asked the

same question, How do you anticipate total employment at your

location to change in the three months to the end of September

2005 as compared to the current quarter?

Net Employment Outlook

Throughout this report, we use the term Net Employment

Outlook. This figure is derived by taking the percentage of

employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity andsubtracting from this the percentage of employers that expect to

see a decrease in employment at their location in the next quarter.

The result of this calculation is the Net Employment Outlook.

Seasonal Adjustment

Seasonal adjustments have been applied to the data for

Canada, United Kingdom and the United States to provide

additional insight into the survey data. These adjustments make

it possible to review the data without the employment

fluctuations that normally occur at the same time each year, thus

providing a clearer picture of the data over time. Manpower

intends to add seasonal adjustments to the data for other

countries in the future, as more historical data is compiled.

History of the Survey

1962 1st generation of the Manpower Employment Outlook

Survey launched in the United States and Canada.

1966 Manpowers UK operation launches the equivalent of the

United States survey, naming the report the Quarterly

Survey of Employment Prospects. The survey adopts the

same forward-looking research format as the United States

survey and is the first of its kind in Europe.

1976 2nd generation of Manpowers Employment Outlook

Survey launched in the United States and Canada.

Research methodology is updated to evolve with

advancements in the field of market research.

2002 Manpower UKs Quarterly Survey of Employment

Prospects is updated to adopt an enhanced research

methodology. Manpowers operations in Mexico and

Ireland launch the survey in their respective countries.

2003 3rd generation of the Manpower Employment Outlook

Survey is launched, expanding the program to a total 18

countries and territories worldwide: Australia, Austria,

Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland,

Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore,

Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States.

2004 Manpower operations in New Zealand launch the

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

2005 Manpower operations in China, India, Switzerland and

Taiwan launch the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

About the Survey


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About Manpower Inc.Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in the employment

services industry, offering customers a continuum of services to

meet their needs throughout the employment and business cycle.

The company specializes in permanent, temporary and contract

recruitment; employee assessment; training; career transition;

organizational consulting services and professional financial

services. Manpowers worldwide network of 4,300 offices in

68 countries and territories enables the company to meet the

needs of its 400,000 customers per year, including small and

medium size enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the

worlds largest multinational corporations. The focus of

Manpowers work is on raising productivity through improved

quality, efficiency and cost-reduction, enabling customers to

concentrate on their core business activities. In addition to the

Manpower brand, the company operates under the brand names

of Right Management Consultants, Jefferson Wells, Elan and

Brook Street. More information on Manpower Inc. is available at

www.manpower.com.

About Manpower USAIn the United States, Manpower offers businesses a range of

HR services, in addition to providing administrative, industrial

and contact center personnel. Under the Manpower

Professional brand, the company places contract professionals

on assignment in areas such as information technology,

scientific, finance, engineering and telecommunications. More

information about Manpowers US operation can be found at

www.us.manpower.com.


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Manpower Inc., 5301 N. Ironwood Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53217

Tel: 414 961 1000

www.us.manpower.com

manpower employment outlook survey: united states - q3, 2005

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