Iowa employers planning to hire workers

Iowa employers expect to hire at a healthy pace in July, August and September, according to the latest survey by Manpower Inc.

Twenty-three percent of the companies interviewed by Manpower plan to hire more employees, while 8 percent expect to reduce their payrolls. Another 66 percent expect to maintain their current staffing levels and 3 percent are uncertain of their hiring plans.

While the percentage of employers planning to add workers is higher than it was in the second quarter when 17 percent expected to add to their payrolls, it is lower than the third quarter of 2010 when 25 percent of the employers surveyed planned to increase staffing.

For the coming quarter, Iowans looking for employment will find better prospects in construction, durable and non-durable goods manufacturing, transportation, utilities, wholesale and retail trade, information technology, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and other services.

Iowa employers involved with financial services, education and health services plan to reduce staffing levels, while hiring in government is expected to remain unchanged.

Nationally, Manpower said 20 percent of the 18,000 employers surveyed expect to hire workers and 8 percent are planning layoffs. Sixty-nine percent of employers expect no change in their staffing levels and the remaining 3 percent of employers indicated they are undecided about their hiring intentions.

Manpower interviews employers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to develop its quarterly employment outlook survey. The survey includes the largest 100 metropolitan statistical areas based on number of business establishments.