Employment prospects ‘set to improve’ in W Cape

JOB SEEKERS in the Western Cape have a better chance of securing employment in the second quarter of this year.

According to the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey Q2 2018 released today, employers reported encouraging signs for job seekers in the second quarter, with 14% of employers expecting to increase staffing levels, 5% expecting a decrease and 80% forecasting no change, resulting in a seasonally adjusted net employment outlook of more than 8%.

The survey is conducted quarterly to gauge whether employers intend to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforce during the next quarter.

Hiring prospects improved by two percentage points compared with the previous quarter, and were also two percentage points stronger compared with the same period last year.

Lyndy van den Barselaar, the managing director of ManpowerGroup SA, said business and consumer confidence seemed to have improved.

“While the country still faces challenges in terms of repairing years of economic sluggishness, promises of policy certainty and consistency seem to have had a further positive effect on confidence and the strength of the economy. These factors make for a more positive backdrop for employment in the country,” she said.

Employers in all five regions are expected to increase staffing levels during the second quarter, with the strongest hiring prospects in the Western Cape at 11%, followed by Gauteng at 10%, KwaZulu-Natal at 9% and the Eastern Cape at 6%.