Manpower Employment Outlook Survey: United States - Q4, 2004

8/9/2019 Manpower Employment Outlook Survey: United States - Q4, 2004

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4th Quarter 2004

Manpower Employment Outlook SurveyUnited States



2

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey USA

The United States Employment Outlook

ContentsUnited States Employment Outlook 2

The Americas Employment Outlook 14

Global Employment Outlook 16

About the Survey 18

About Manpower 19

Net Employment OutlookNet Employment Outlook Seasonally AdjustedSeasonally Adjusted

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Increase Decrease No Change Don’t KnowNet Employment

Outlook

Seasonally

Adjusted

% % % % % %

4th Quarter 2003 22 11 62 5 11 10

1st Quarter 2004 20 13 61 6 7 14

2nd Quarter 2004 28 6 62 4 22 20

3rd Quarter 2004 30 6 59 5 24 20

4th Quarter 2004 28 7 60 5 21 20

The results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey in the United States include Puerto Rico.

The Net Employment Outlook of 21%, which does not

take into account the seasonal factors that affect hiring,

is slightly lower than it was in the third quarter survey.

When the seasonal variations are removed from the data,

however, the employment outlook for October to December

is the same as it was in the previous two quarters, an

indication that employers intend to keep hiring stable

through the end of the year. Like the previous two

quarters, the job forecast is stronger than it has been

since the beginning months of 2001.

Hiring projections are noticeably different from a year

ago. Employers are twice as optimistic about their hiring

plans for the fourth quarter of 2004 as they were last

year at this time.

Nearly 16,000 interviews have been conducted with

employers across the United States to measure

anticipated employment trends between October and

December 2004. All participants were asked, “How do

you anticipate total employment at your location to

change in the three months to the end of December

2004 as compared to the current quarter?”

Of the U.S. employers that were surveyed, 28% plan to

add staff in the fourth quarter, while 7% expect to

reduce their payrolls. This creates a Net Employment

Outlook of 21%. Sixty percent of the hiring managers

polled anticipate no change in staff levels for the coming

quarter, and 5% are unsure of their hiring plans.



3

Net Employment

Outlook

Seasonally

AdjustedIncrease Decrease No Change Don’t Know

% % % %%%

Construction 24 12 59 125 19

Education 25 7 64 18 124

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate 23 4 68 5 19 19

Manufacturing – Durables 29 9 57 5 20 23

Manufacturing – Non-Durables 27 7 60 6 2220

Mining 25 6 65 4 1919

Public Administration 14 11 68 3 87

Services 24 8 63 5 16 20

Transportation & Public Utilities 25 5 64 6 20 18

Wholesale & Retail Trade 38 6 51 5 32 22

At the overall national level, the margin of error on the data is +/– 0.8%.

Net Employment SeasonallyIncrease Decrease No Change Don’t Know

Outlook Adjusted

% % % %

Midwest

Northeast27 8 59 6 19 1829 7 58 6 22 21

26 7 64 3 19 20

South

West 30 9 55 6 21 22

% %

According to the seasonally adjusted data, employers in the

majority of industry sectors surveyed expect to hold steady,

predicting a hiring pace similar to third quarter. These sectors

include Mining, Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing,

Transportation/Public Utilities,Wholesale/Retail Trade,Finance/

Insurance/Real Estate, Services and Public Administration.

Durable Goods Manufacturers are slightly more optimistic

about hiring in the fourth quarter, compared with the July to

September period. Construction and Education are the only

sectors for which employers anticipate softer job prospects.

Employers across the 10 industry sectors are more

confident about hiring in the fourth quarter of this year,

compared with the same period of 2003. Year-over-year

hiring plans show the most improvement in the Durable and

Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, Wholesale/Retail Trade,

Education, Transportation/Public Utilities and Mining sectors.

Across the country, employer confidence is expected to

remain virtually unchanged in the fourth quarter, with

each of the four U.S. regions reporting employment

activity consistent with the previous quarter. Job seekers

in each region can expect to have a much easier time

with their search than a year ago. Employers in the

Northeast, Midwest and West voice hiring intentions that

are twice as strong as the fourth quarter of 2003.

Among the U.S. regions, the employment outlook is

most positive in the West and weakest in the Northeast.

This marks the third consecutive quarter that the

Northeast has lagged other regions in hiring plans.



4


Regional Comparisons

Midwest

Net Employment

Outlook

Seasonally


%%%%% %

All Industries 26 7 64 3 19 20

Construction 21 19 56 4 2 18

Education 618 73 3 12 6



Manufacturing – Non-Durables 25 6 64 5 19 21

Mining 29 14 57 0 1615

Public Administration 11 17 68 4 -6 4

Services 21 7 69 3 14 18

Transportation & Public Utilities 26 675 2 21 22



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The Midwest Region comprises the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,

South Dakota, Wisconsin.

Of the employers surveyed in the Midwest, 26% plan to

add to their payrolls in the fourth quarter, while 7% expect

to slow down the hiring pace. Thus, the Net Employment

Outlook is 19%. According to the seasonally adjusted

data, job prospects for fourth quarter reveal a mounting

optimism among Midwest employers that began in the

final months of 2003.

The hiring pace is expected to remain steady with

projections similar to third quarter in half of the industry

sectors in the Midwest, including Non-Durable Goods

Manufacturing, Wholesale/Retail Trade, Services, Public

Administration and Mining. Durable Goods Manufacturing,

Transportation/Public Utilities and Finance/Insurance/Real

Estate employers anticipate a slightly more positive

outlook than the July to September period, while those

in Construction and Education foresee a mild decrease in

employment activity.

The job climate reported for the fourth quarter is decidedly

more upbeat than it was a year ago with stronger hiring

planned in each of the 10 industry sectors in the Midwest.

Durable and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing,

Transportation/Public Utilities and Mining employers

foresee the most significant increase in hiring activity.



5

Net Employment

Outlook

Seasonally


% % % % % %

All Industries 27 8 59 6 1819


Education 24 5 69 2 19 13



Manufacturing – Non-Durables 26 6 20 22

Mining 25 0 25 15

Public Administration 9 9 0 3

Services 22 9 13 18

Transportation & Public Utilities 25 7

62

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6 18 16



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Northeast

The Northeast Region comprises the following states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,

Rhode Island, Vermont.

Twenty-seven percent of employers polled in the Northeast

anticipate an increase in job opportunities, while 8%

foresee a decrease. This yields a Net Employment

Outlook of 19%. When seasonal variations have been

removed from the data, the outlook for the Northeast is

the same as it was for third quarter but is twice as

optimistic as it was a year ago. Although a healthy hiring

pace is in store for the Northeast, this region continues

to lag the others, as it has in the past two quarters.

Employers in the Northeast have mixed intentions for

fourth quarter when it comes to jobs within the industry

sectors. Employers in the majority of sectors, including

Construction, Durable Goods Manufacturing,

Transportation/Public Utilities, Finance/Insurance/Real

Estate and Services, plan to keep the hiring pace

relatively consistent with last quarter. Job opportunities

appear stronger than third quarter in Non-Durable Goods

Manufacturing, Wholesale/Retail Trade and Mining, while

Public Administration and Education employers expect

job prospects to soften.

Compared with a year ago, more employers in nearly every

industry sector surveyed intend to add to their payrolls

during the fourth quarter. Mining is the only sector in which

employers do not expect to pick up the hiring pace.



6


South

Net Employment

Outlook

Seasonally


% % % % % %



Education 29 3 63 5 26 20




Mining 27 6 61 6 21 19Public Administration 15 659 11 6 9

Services 27 7 61 5 20 23

Transportation & Public Utilities 22 674 7 18 16


Net Employment OutlookNet Employment Outlook Seasonally AdjustedSeasonally Adjusted’89 ’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04

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The South Region comprises the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,

Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia.

Of the employers surveyed in the South, 29% predict an

increase in employment activity and 7% plan to cut back

on staff, which leads to a Net Employment Outlook of

22%. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the outlook for the

South is relatively consistent with third quarter hiring

projections and marks a moderate improvement over the

hiring pace that was anticipated a year ago.

Employers in five of the 10 industry sectors in the South

plan to carry a similar level of employment activity from third

quarter into fourth quarter. Durable Goods Manufacturers

foresee a mild uptick in hiring from the previous quarter,

while Construction, Education, Public Administration and

Mining employers expect to be more sluggish in theirhiring than they were from July to September.

Job seekers in the South are likely to fare better in their

job search than they would have a year ago. Within the

sectors surveyed there is a dramatic increase in the

number of employers that plan to add staff from October

to December, compared with the fourth quarter of 2003.

These sectors include Durable and Non-Durable Goods

Manufacturing, Transportation/Public Utilities,

Wholesale/Retail Trade, Education, Services and Mining.

Construction and Finance/Insurance/Real Estate

employers also plan to boost hiring, albeit at a slower

pace. Public Administration is the only sector in which

year-over-year hiring increases are not expected.



7

West

Net EmploymentOutlook

Seasonally Adjusted

Increase Decrease No Change Don’t Know

% % % % % %


Construction 29 9 57 5 20 26

Education 28 14 54 4 14 11




Mining 18 6 76 0 12 16

Public Administration 22 9 65 4 13 16

Services 29 9 55 7 20 23

Transportation & Public Utilities 28 3 59 10 25 23



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The West Region comprises the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,

Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

In the West, 30% of employers surveyed anticipate job

growth, while 9% foresee a decrease in employment

activity. This results in a Net Employment Outlook of

21%. According to the seasonally adjusted survey

results, the outlook is identical to the third quarter

forecast and represents a plateau in hiring plans in the

West, which had steadily improved over the past four

quarters. Nonetheless, employers in the West are more

optimistic about fourth quarter hiring than those in the

other three U.S. regions. They are also twice as

optimistic as they were last year at this time.

Employers in the West envision the same pattern of job

stability seen in the other three U.S. regions. Hiring in

five of the 10 industry sectors surveyed is expected to

remain consistent with third quarter plans. Those

sectors include Durable Goods Manufacturing,

Transportation/Public Utilities, Finance/Insurance/Real

Estate, Education and Services. Job prospects in

Construction, Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing and

Public Administration are expected to be stronger than

they were from July to September. Wholesale/Retail

Trade and Mining employers are more reserved in their

hiring forecast and anticipate slower job growth.



8


Sector Comparisons

The seasonally adjusted outlook reveals some variation

in hiring plans across the 10 industry sectors surveyed.

For the final quarter of 2004, employers in Durable and

Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing and Wholesale/Retail

Trade express the most optimistic hiring plans.

Education employers are more conservative in their

hiring intentions than those in other sectors. The job

climate in Public Administration is expected to be the

mildest of the industry sectors, as it has been all year.

Construction

Education

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate

Manufacturing – Durables

Manufacturing – Non-Durables

Mining

Public Administration

Services

Transportation & Public Utilities

Wholesale & Retail Trade

19

19

1812

0 40

1919

38

16

18

20

3222

2023

20

20

22

19

Net Employment Outlook Seasonally Adjusted

12

5 10 15 20 25 30 35



9

Construction


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10152025303540

Hiring confidence among Construction employers began

to mount in the final months of 2003. The optimism

continued through the second quarter of this year but

dropped off in the third quarter survey. A slower hiringpace is anticipated again in the fourth quarter, although

job seekers should expect to f ind more employers

taking on new staff than a year ago.

The South has offered the most promising job prospects

in Construction since second quarter 2002, but

employers in the West are most optimistic about adding

to their payrolls in the fourth quarter. Employers in theNortheast foresee the slowest hiring pace in this sector.

Education


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Hiring expectations among Education employers have

been on the rise since the fourth quarter of 2003, but the

seasonally adjusted outlook for the fourth quarter of this

year breaks that trend. Employers are slightly less

confident about hiring than they were from July to

September. The fourth quarter job forecast is, however,

considerably brighter than last year at this time.

Hiring intentions in Education are strongest in the South

and weakest in the Midwest, as was the case in the

third quarter.



10


Manufacturing – Durable Goods


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The seasonally adjusted data suggests that Durable

Goods Manufacturers remain confident about the job

picture. For the first time in four years, the employment

outlook in Durable Goods Manufacturing is the most

positive among the 10 sectors. The hiring pace is

expected to be up slightly from last quarter and

considerably better than a year ago.

Job seekers in the West are likely to have the best

employment prospects, while those in the Northeast

are expected to find fewer companies adding to payroll.

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate

Net Employment Outlook Seasonally Adjusted’89 ’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04

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Steady hiring intentions are apparent again this quarter

in the Finance/Insurance/Real Estate sector, according

to the seasonally adjusted survey results. Employers

expect to hire at the same pace as third quarter, whichwas the strongest hiring outlook in more than three years.

A year-over-year comparison shows that employment

prospects are more encouraging for the coming quarter.

For the fourth consecutive quarter, employers in the

West are most optimistic about hiring, while those in

the Midwest are least likely to take on staff.



11

Mining

When seasonal variations are removed from the data,

hiring intentions for the Mining sector are expected to be

relatively consistent with those reported for third quarter.

Compared with a year ago, job seekers are likely to find

significantly more employers accepting applications.

Employers in the South plan to offer the most promising

job prospects. Although employers in the Northeast

report the weakest employment outlook, some hiring is

expected for the first time in two quarters.

Manufacturing – Non-Durable Goods


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The employment outlook for Non-Durable Goods

Manufacturing suggests a healthy hiring pace not seen

in four years, according to seasonally adjusted data.

Employer confidence is similar to third quarterprojections and remarkably improved from last year.

Employers in the West are most optimistic about hiring.

Compared with the other regions, employers in the

South are least likely to take on staff.


-10

-5

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15

2025

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12


Public Administration

On a seasonally adjusted basis, Public Administration

remains a picture of stability on the hiring front. The

employment outlook for the coming quarter is identical

to those reported for the last two quarters andrepresents a slight increase in employment activity from

a year ago. For the fourth consecutive quarter, hiring in

Public Administration is expected to lag behind the other

nine sectors.

By a wide margin, employers in the West express the

most confidence about staff additions in the fourth

quarter, while employers in the Northeast report the

most conservative hiring plans.


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Services


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The survey’s historical data shows that demand for

Services employees typically dwindles in the fourth

quarter. When seasonal variations are removed from the

data, however, the hiring pace for fourth quarter remains

relatively stable compared to those reported in the third

quarter. Services employers report a more favorable

outlook than last year at this time.

Employers in the West and South express the most

confidence about hiring for the fourth quarter, while

those in the Midwest and Northeast are more reserved

in their staffing plans.



13

Wholesale & Retail Trade


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Transportation & Public Utilities


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In the fourth quarter, Transportation/Public Utilities

employers plan to hire at the same steady pace as they

did for the third quarter, according to the seasonally

adjusted data. A year ago, the employment outlook for

this sector was weaker by a wide margin, with far fewer

employers predicting job growth.

The regional hiring breakout is unchanged from last

quarter. Employers in the West are most optimistic about

hiring, while those in the Northeast and South are much

more reserved.

Hiring activity in Wholesale/Retail Trade is expected to

be among the strongest of the 10 industry sectors.

When seasonal variations are removed from the data,

the employment outlook remains unchanged from third

quarter. Compared with a year ago, employers are

notably more upbeat about staffing plans.

Employers report relatively consistent hiring plans across

the regions. Job seekers in the South are likely to find

the most employers in need of additional staff, and those

in the West and Midwest are expected to have fewer

companies to choose from.



14


The Americas Employment OutlookOver 21,000 interviews have been conducted across the United States, Canada and Mexico to measure anticipated

employment trends between October and December 2004.

International Comparisons

Seasonal adjustments were introduced to the Canadian

data for the first time this quarter to provide additional

insight into the survey data. These adjustments make it

possible to review the data without the employment

fluctuations that normally occur at the same time each

year, thus providing a clearer picture of the data over

time. Comparing the data over time, we see a

continuation of positive hiring activity moving from the

third quarter into the final three months of the year.

1. Number in parentheses is Net Employment Outlook when adjusted to remove the impact of seasonal variations in hiring activity

for the United States and Canada.

Increase Decrease No Change Don’t Know Net Employment Outlook

% % % % %

Canada 23 10 63 4 13 (17)1

Mexico 30 12 58 0 18

United States 28 7 60 5 21 (20)1

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United States (Seasonally Adjusted)MexicoCanada (Seasonally Adjusted)

Q42002

Q12003

Q22003

Q32003

Q42003

Q12004

Q22004

Q32004

Q42004

Based on seasonally adjusted data, employers in the

United States reported the region’s most optimistic Net

Employment Outlook, revealing a continuation of the

active hiring levels reported for the previous two

quarters. Hiring intentions are improved both quarter-

over-quarter and year-over-year in Mexico, where

employers reported their most optimistic outlook since

Manpower began the survey in the country. When

seasonal variations are removed from the Canadian

data, the outlook is also improved on a quarter-over-

quarter and year-over-year basis.



15

Sector Comparisons

both sectors intend to decrease employment levels.

In contrast, Mexican employers in both the Industry

and Services sectors intend to increase employment

prospects over the third quarter. On a year-over-yearbasis, employers in all three countries are anticipating

hiring levels to improve.

2. Industry comprises Mining, Manufacturing, Public Utilities and Construction. Services comprises Wholesale/Retail Trade/Restaurants/Hotels,

Transport Storage and Communication, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services, and Public Administration.

Canada

%

16

Net Employment Outlook

Industry Services

%

23

Q3 2004

%

26

Q3 2004

%

5

United States 2226 2418

Mexico 1916 1417

Q4 2004 Q4 2004

Within this section, we outline variation in the Net

Employment Outlook across two broad categories:

Industry and Services2. Positive hiring intentions are

expected across the region in both the Industry andServices categories. However, compared to the

previous quarter, Canadian and American employers in



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Global Employment OutlookOver 35,000 employers have been interviewed across 19 countries and territories to measure anticipated

employment trends between October and December 2004.

Net Employment Outlook Qtr on Qtr Change

Americas Q3 to Q4 2004

Canada -12 (3)1

Mexico 4

United States

Q3 2004

%

25 (14)1

14

24 (20)1

Q4 2004

%

13 (17)1

18

21 (20)1 -3 (0)1


Asia Pacific

Australia 0

Hong Kong 2

Japan 2New Zealand

Q4 2004

%

17

25

1129

Q3 2004

%

17

23

930 -1

Singapore 1419 -5

Qtr on Qtr Change

Q3 to Q4 2004

Net Employment Outlook Qtr on Qtr Change

Europe Q3 to Q4 2004

Austria 2

Belgium -4

France 1

Germany 2

Ireland -4

Netherlands 0

Norway -3

Spain -9

Sweden -7

UK 4 (2)1

Italy

Q3 2004

%

2

11

4

-4

18

6

10

14

16

14 (12)1

5

Q4 2004

%

4

7

5

-2

14

6

7

5

9

18 (14)1

-1 -6

1. Number in parentheses is Net Employment Outlook when adjusted to remove the impact of seasonal variations in hiring activity for the UK,

the United States and Canada.

Regional and International ComparisonsHowever, German employer confidence has improved

since the last quarter of 2003.

In the U.S., Canada and the UK, seasonally adjusted

results reveal continuing employer optimism and solid

hiring levels.

Employers in 17 of 19 countries and territories say they

expect positive hiring activity in the coming quarter, with

14 countries reporting stronger hiring levels compared

to one year ago. New Zealand and Hong Kong

employers reported the strongest anticipated hiring

trends for the quarter ahead. Italy joins Germany this

quarter with a negative Net Employment Outlook.



17

Sector Comparisons

2. Industry comprises Mining, Manufacturing, Public Utilities and Construction. Services comprises Wholesale/Retail Trade/Restaurants/Hotels,

Transport, Storage & Communication, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Business Services, and Public Administration.

Canada

%

16


Industry Services

Americas

%

23

Q3 2004

%

26

Q3 2004

%

5

United States 2226 2418

Mexico 1916 1417

Q4 2004 Q4 2004

%%

Japan 11 11


Industry Services

Asia Pacific

%

6

Q3 2004 Q3 2004

%

Australia 17 1816 14

Hong Kong 28 3013 12

11

New Zealand 32 3427 28

Singapore 22 129 15

Q4 2004 Q4 2004

%%

Ireland 2113 1317

Italy 7-3 03


Industry Services

Europe

%

Q3 2004 Q3 2004

%

France 2 5 62

Germany -3 -1-4 -4

Austria 421 2

Belgium 11 79 5

Norway 106 810

Netherlands 66 68

UK 1316 1914

Sweden 1511 922

Spain 19 45 9

Q4 2004 Q4 2004

Similarly, in the Industry category, job prospects are

expected to be positive in all countries with only

Germany and Italy reporting a negative Net Employment

Outlook. Strongest prospects for Industry areanticipated for the third consecutive quarter in New

Zealand. Notably, Industry employers in Ireland reported

the most improved year-over-year Net Employment

Outlook increase of +23 percentage points.

Within this section, we outline variation in the Net

Employment Outlook across two broad categories:

Industry and Services2. All of the countries surveyed,

except Germany and Italy, are anticipating positivehiring activity in both categories. Employers in the

Services category in New Zealand, Hong Kong and

the United States are most optimistic, while employers

in Germany and Italy are less positive.



18


About the Survey The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted

quarterly to measure employers’ intentions to increase or

decrease the number of employees in their workforce during

the next quarter. The survey has been running for more than 40

years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employmentactivity in the world. Various factors underpin the success of

the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey:

Unique: It is unparalleled in its size, scope, longevity and area

of focus.

Projective: The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is the

only forward-looking survey, asking employers to forecast

employment over the next quarter. In contrast, other surveys

and studies focus on retrospective data to report on what

occurred in the past.

Focused: For more than four decades, the survey has derived

all of its information from a single question.

Independent: The survey is conducted with a representative

sample of employers from throughout the countries in which it

is conducted. The survey participants are not derived from

Manpower’s customer base.

Robust: The survey is based on interviews with more than

35,000 public and private employers across 19 national

economies to measure anticipated employment trends each

quarter. This sample allows for analysis to be performed across

specific sectors and regions to provide more detailed information.

Methodology

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted using

a validated methodology, in accordance with the higheststandards in market research. The research team for the 19

countries and territories where the survey is currently conducted

includes Manpower’s Market Intelligence team; the Organization

Research and Analysis Division of Right Management

Consultants – an independent operating division of Manpower

Inc.; NOP World and Grupo IDM. The survey has been

structured to be representative of each national economy. The

margin of error for all national, regional and global data is not

greater than +/- 4.2%.

In the United States, the national survey is conducted by

Manpower’s North American Market Intelligence Team and

includes 16,000 employers. With this number of interviews, the

margin of error for the United States survey is +/- 0.8%.

Survey Question

All employers participating in the survey worldwide are asked

the same question, “How do you anticipate total employment

at your location to change in the three months to the end of

December 2004 as compared to the current quarter?”

Net Employment Outlook Throughout this report, we use the term “Net Employment

Outlook”. This figure is derived by taking the percentage of

employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity and

subtracting from this the percentage of employers that expect to

see a decrease in employment at their location in the next quarter.

The result of this calculation is the Net Employment Outlook.

Seasonal Adjustment

Seasonal adjustments have been applied to the data for

Canada, the United States and United Kingdom to provide

additional insight into the survey data. These adjustments

make it possible to review the data without the employmentfluctuations that normally occur at the same time each year,

thus providing a clearer picture of the data over time. Manpower

intends to add seasonal adjustments to the data for other

countries in the future, as more historical data is compiled.

Sectors

The industry sectors that are reported for each country in this

report are representative of the local economy. In some areas

of the report, we have reported the data in two broad sector

categories: Industry and Services. These categories are

consistent with standards of other respected international data

sources. The “Industry” category includes sectors such as:

construction, manufacturing, mining and public utilities. The

“Services” category includes wholesale and retail trade;

restaurants and hotels; transportation and storage;

communication; finance; insurance; real estate; other business

services and public administration.



19

History of the Survey

1962 1st generation of the Manpower Employment Outlook

Survey launched in the United States and Canada.

1966 Manpower’s UK operation launches the equivalent of

the United States survey, naming the report the

Quarterly Survey of Employment Prospects. The survey

adopts the same forward-looking research format as the

United States survey and is the first of its kind in

Europe.

1976 2nd generation of Manpower’s Employment Outlook

Survey launched in the United States and Canada.

Research methodology is updated to evolve with

advancements in the field of market research.

2002 Manpower UK’s Quarterly Survey of Employment

Prospects is updated to adopt an enhanced research

methodology. Manpower’s operations in Mexico and

Ireland launch the survey in their respective countries.

2003 3rd generation of the Manpower Employment Outlook

Survey is launched, expanding the program to a total18 countries worldwide: Australia, Austria, Belgium,

Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy,

Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain,

Sweden, United Kingdom and United States.

2004 Manpower operations in New Zealand launch the

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

About Manpower Inc.Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in the

employment services industry, offering customers a continuum of

services to meet their needs throughout the employment and

business cycle. The company specializes in permanent,

temporary and contract recruitment; employee assessment;training; career transition and organizational consulting services.

Manpower’s worldwide network of 4,300 offices in 67 countries

and territories enables the company to meet the needs of its

400,000 customers per year, including small and medium size

enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the world’s largest

multinational corporations. The focus of Manpower’s work is on

raising productivity through improved quality, efficiency and cost-

reduction, enabling customers to concentrate on their core

business activities. In addition to the Manpower brand, the

company operates under the brand names of Right

Management Consultants, Jefferson Wells, Elan, Brook Street

and Empower. More information on Manpower Inc. is available at

www.manpower.com.

In the United States, Manpower offers businesses a range of

HR services, in addition to providing administrative, industrial

and contact center personnel. Under the Manpower

Professional brand, the company places contract professionals

on assignment in areas such as information technology,

scientific, finance, engineering and telecommunications. More

information about Manpower’s US operation can be found at

www.us.manpower.com.



Manpower Inc., 5301 N. Ironwood Rd., Milwaukee, WI 5321

Tel: 414 961 1000

www.us.manpower.com

© 2004 M I All i ht d

Documents

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey: United States - Q4, 2004