A new survey shows a growing number of Iowa employers are more positive about their hiring intentions. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey covers the months of April through June.

Kathy Joblinske, a spokesperson for Manpower Incorporated,  says 17% of the companies questioned plan to hire more workers, while 7% anticipate decreasing staff levels. That’s a “net employment outlook” of 10%. The results of second quarter survey are slightly better than the 6% figure from the first quarter.

“I think one of the areas of significance is just the stability we’re seeing, because 73 percent of the employers interviewed anticipate maintaining their current staff levels for Q2,” Joblinske said. Employers in government, Joblinske says, plan to reduce staffing levels.

She says job prospects appear best in durable and non-durable goods manufacturing. Transportation and utilities, wholesale and retail trade, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality and education and health services also plan to add jobs.