U.S. Employment Rebound Forecast in AppleOne Survey

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ninety-five percent of small and medium sized businesses participating in a survey by staffing company AppleOne report that they will not be laying off any more employees over the next year and nearly half expect to be hiring new staff in 2011. These numbers are a marked improvement from last year and show signs of a rebounding economy.

“Rising unemployment rates have been a major concern in this country and it will be a welcome change to get more Americans back to work”

“Rising unemployment rates have been a major concern in this country and it will be a welcome change to get more Americans back to work,” says Janice Bryant Howroyd, CEO of AppleOne. “Bringing this nation back to its full potential has been a priority of workers as well as business owners. The market is more exciting now, and has more opportunity for skilled workers than we’ve seen in the last decade.”

According to the research, 41 percent of respondents expect to increase staff in 2011, a significant jump over the 33 percent of respondents who said this in 2010. Another 53 percent expect staff size to remain the same. Only 5 percent report that they plan to lay off staff, down from 10 percent last year. Businesses surveyed had average staff of 267 people and represent the major job creators among U.S. employers.

Outsourced temporary workers remain the main resource for hiring. “Hiring temporary workers gives employers a chance to find the right fit for their company without a permanent commitment right away, while a temporary job lets an individual earn a salary and continue to look for a job that fulfills a goal. It’s a win-win,” adds Howroyd. “These days, employers are hiring cautiously, so a temporary job is a good way to get a foot in the door, make a positive impression and earn money while enhancing skills.”

Most of the businesses who took part in the survey expressed optimism about the outlook for 2011 and feel the economy is stabilizing enough to maintain or grow their staff.

Employment services and job boards are the primary channels that businesses use for their recruiting, according to the survey. Classified advertising and employee referrals accounted for 13 percent of new hiring.

AppleOne is a member of the ACT-1 Group, the nation’s leader in staffing and workforce solutions. In addition, the ACT-1 Group is a leading global provider of workforce solutions through Agile-1 and offers a variety of other human resource business services such as personnel background and screening through its A-Check America brand. AppleOne has offices throughout the United States and Canada. ACT-1 Group serves companies in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Europe, and India, and is in process of opening in Latin America.