More than a quarter of the Iowa business owners who took part in a new survey plan to boost employment between the months of July and September. The third quarter Manpower Employment Outlook Survey found 27-percent of Iowa companies expect to add workers, while just six-percent anticipate a decrease in staffing levels. Manpower spokesperson Karen Miller says the result is a “Net Employment Outlook” of 21-percent.
“That’s a really solid number. It’s the same as it was in Q2, so everything looks pretty optimistic for Iowa,” Miller said. The Net Employment Outlook is down slightly from a 24-percent outlook one year ago. Many of the recent Manpower surveys have listed Iowa as one of the best states in the nation for job opportunities.
For that reason, Miller is encouraging Iowa employers to bolster their employee retention plans. “As the unemployment numbers drop and hiring expectations increase, that means competition for top talent will be heating up,” Miller said.
“So, if you’re looking for a job, now is a great time to find a job. If you’re an employer, you’re going to want to make sure you have plans in place to retain your top talent or risk losing them to your competition.”
The Q3 2013 Manpower survey found job prospects are especially good in Iowa’s capital city. “Des Moines is expected to be the best metro in the U.S. for job opportunities,” Miller said. In Des Moines, 28-percent of the employers surveyed plan to add workers in the third quarter, while just two-percent anticipate layoffs.
Of the more than 18,000 employers Manpower surveyed in the United States, 22-percent expect to add to their workforces, while six-percent expect a decline in their payrolls between July and September.