FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. - In the first quarter of 2007, the confidence of U.S. workers in industrial, manufacturing and construction increased, according to a recent employment report by recruiting and staffing company, Spherion Corp. and market research firm, Harris Interactive.
The Industrial, Manufacturing and Construction Employee Index rose 1.6 points to 54.6 for the quarter, as an increasing number of employees feel the economy and job availability are stabilizing.
Confidence in the ability to find new employment was up two points to 54 percent. The percentage of workers who indicated that they would likely look for new jobs in the next 12 months was up 3 points to 36 percent.
Remaining steady from the previous quarter, 56 percent of employees indicated confidence in the future of their current employer and 70 percent feel secure in their jobs.
The percentage of employees who feel more jobs are available dropped 5 points to 20 percent.
“Nationally, the number of nonresidential construction jobs is up 3.4 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” said Ralph Henderson, senior vice president of Staffing Services for Spherion. “So a measurable rise in employee confidence in that sector is to be expected. We’ve also seen increased demand for light industrial skills, from assembly line workers and material handlers to light equipment operators. There’s also a good-news story in the growing need for skilled engineers and technologists, as manufacturers seek greater plant and process innovation in order to remain globally competitive.”
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