Hiring is Increasing while Unemployment Rate Remains Steady

Workforce solutions provider ManpowerGroup is urging U.S. employers to focus on both short and long-term workforce models as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the national unemployment rate remains at 8.3 percent while private-sector employers add almost a quarter of a million jobs in February; especially in the professional business services industry which add 82,000 jobs for the month.

“As the need to hire picks up across industries, employers need to consider the range of variables that will affect their long-term workforce needs,” said Chairman and CEO of ManpowerGroup, Jeffrey A. Joerres, “A flexible workforce model versus a traditional model based mainly on fulltime workers is the way to accommodate fluctuating demand. Last month’s boost in temporary jobs shows that the need to build out flexible work models is resonating with employers. To stay competitive in today’s economy, employers must be able to tap the right skilled talent in real time, in order to respond to fluctuating demand for their products and services.”

The companies 2011 Talent Shortage Survey showed that over half of American companies are having difficulty finding talent to fill key positions. This trend is the biggest motivator behind ManpowerGroup’s push to think long term because the mismatching of talent will only become worse as products and services demand increases into the future.

ManpowerGroup President of the Americas, Jonas Prising, said, “Workers and employers should be encouraged by the breadth of domestic job growth we’re seeing, coast to coast as well as across industries,” he continued, “Developing and refining skills must continue to be a top priority for all workers as we continue to see hiring trends fluctuate.”