accounting and finance workers turning sour on outlook
new york [news release] — the hudson employment index(sm) decreased to 100.5 in september, the lowest reading so far this year. notably, the percentage of workers expecting their employers to add staff fell two points from august to 29 percent. this is the least optimistic workers have been about their companies’ hiring plans since last september.
adp reports similar sluggishness — for the third straight month.
the accounting & finance sector was one of the biggest losers, dropping 6.3 points to 106.2 in the hudson index.
on the other hand, robert half international says hiring in accounting and finance departments will remain steady during the last quarter of 2006, with six percent of chief financial officers planning to add full-time personnel and two percent anticipating a cut in staff levels. that net four percent increase is unchanged from the third-quarter forecast of the quarterly financial hiring index.
“our research finds that much of corporate america is seeing a slowdown in job growth, which is echoed by reports coming out of the bureau of labor statistics,” said steve wolfe, senior vice president, hudson. “however, unchanged expectations around layoffs indicate that the slowing is simply that. most employers are not reversing their course of action by letting people go.”
get more on the hudson report…