The manufacturing sector expects a significant increase in its recruitment activity for all employees over the next six months, with an RCI of 143, compared to 130 for the previous quarter. (RCI values over 100 indicate an increase in recruitment activity and values lower than 100 suggesting a decline.)
More than half of the manufacturing firms taking part in the RCI survey expected to recruit more general staff, and more than a third were optimistic about the possibility of hiring more managerial/professional staff. As a result, the RCI for managerial/professional staff (m/p) in the sector was 133, compared with 126 last quarter.
In the services sector, just over half of the respondents predicted an increase in recruitment activity for all staff, giving an RCI of 134 – a significant increase from 117 in autumn 2005. However, the RCI for managerial/professional staff in the services sector dropped slightly to 118 from 120 in the previous quarter.
However, just over half of manufacturing industry respondents also said that there would be no change in recruitment activity for managerial/professional employees and 38% predicted no change for all staff.
For more on business confidence in manufacturing, go to www.personneltoday.com/34271.article
