Employers see more optimism about jobs in 2011
Survey finds most be hiring while some will be making redundancies
Auckland employers say they are hopeful of hiring more staff next year as well as increasing wages and training.
The Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern)’s annual members’ employment survey has found more than half of employers will “either be definitely hiring more staff (17%) or probably will (35%),” employment services manager David Lowe says.
“More people got wage increases this year than in 2009 – last year 51% of respondents reported they gave a zero wage increase whereas this year only 11% did not increase wages,” he says.
“However, the optimism for next year is tinged with a lot of uncertainty – 30-40% of responses indicated they were still unsure about hiring, redundancies, training, wage increases or the growth of their businesses. But on balance significantly more employers are positive about 2011 than negative.”
Mr Lowe says the most important issues for employers next year will be recruiting skilled staff, and improvements to productivity and efficiency.
“Just 11% definitely or probably will be looking at making people redundant,” he says, while half of those surveyed have decided to use the 90-day trial periods when they become available in April.
Some 8% have decided not to use the trial period and the others are still considering their options.
Nevil Gibson
Wed, 22 Dec 2010
Wed, 22 Dec 2010
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Employers see more optimism about jobs in 2011
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