Confidence Continues to Rise for Office and Administrative Workers

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Jul 22, 2014, 01:57 ET

ATLANTA, July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Q2 Randstad Office & Administrative Confidence Index, employee confidence rose for the second consecutive quarter to 54.0 in the second quarter of 2014. The survey, which measures overall confidence among U.S. office and administrative professionals, was conducted online among 394 workers in this sector by Harris Poll on behalf of Randstad. The report found increasing confidence among workers in the strength of the economy and in the number of available jobs.

According to the survey, nearly three-in-10 (28%) office and administrative workers believe the economy is strengthening, versus 22 percent in the first quarter of 2014. Also, seven-in-10 (70%) employees are confident in their job security, while a little more than one-third (35%) say they are likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months.

As the economy improves and the job market expands, many office and administrative professionals may be seeking jobs with more responsibilities, or roles that extend beyond a traditional support function. In fact, a report recently released by the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) named today's office and administrative professional a "new breed of middle manager."

The report describes a rapid shift from assistant to managerial roles among these workers. For example, in 2008 only seven percent of attendees at ASAP's Administrative Professionals Conference held non-traditional administrative job titles — most were assistants. But in 2013, more than 22 percent of APC attendees held titles like manager and project coordinator.

"We have witnessed in our own business an evolution of administrative and clerical roles, stemming from a growing use of technology and the need for more productive and multi-skilled staff," said Traci Fiatte, Group President of Randstad Staffing. "Our clients are increasingly requesting candidates who have some level of management ability, including project management and employee supervision. This is evident across all industries we serve."

Confidence in Job Availability Improves Again this Quarter

Nearly one-quarter (24%) of office and administrative workers believe more jobs are available in the marketplace, an increase of four percentage points from 20 percent in Q1 and up from 17 percent in Q4 2013.

Job Security Levels Remain Strong Among Workers

Seven-in-10 (70%) office and administrative workers are confident in their job security in the second quarter of 2014, declining slightly by two percentage points from the previous quarter.

More than One-Third of Workers Likely to Seek New Employment

More than a third (35%) of office and administrative workers are likely to look for a new job in the next year, declining slightly by two percentage points from the previous quarter.

Office & Administrative Workers are More Confident in Their Ability to Find New Jobs

Nearly four-in-10 (38%) office and administrative workers say they are confident in their ability to find new jobs, increasing one percentage point from the first quarter of 2014.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Randstad from April 7-9, May 8-12 and June 4-6, 2014 among 3,352 adults ages 18 and older of which 394 are employed in office and administrative positions. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

About Randstad Office & Administration
Across the board, Randstad helps companies match the right people with the right jobs. We provide the expertise, the qualified talent pool and the dedicated commitment to making superior matches at a reasonable cost to companies. And we do it on the basis that best suits your needs. Whether you're looking for administrative and clerical support, or the highest caliber talent to fill higher-level jobs, we make it our business to develop office staffing solutions that work. Our exceptional resources allow us to fill an extensive range of general office and executive positions.

About Randstad US
Randstad US is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a $22.0 billion global provider of HR services. As the third largest staffing organization in the U.S., Randstad holds top positions in permanent placement, office and administrative, IT and accounting and finance. From professional services, commercial staffing, recruitment process outsourcing, to managed services and more, Randstad delivers a comprehensive range of temporary, temporary-to-hire, permanent placement and outsourced placement services. With its 5,324 employment experts, Randstad puts an average of approximately 100,000 people to work in the U.S. each week, through its network of nearly 1,000 branches and client-dedicated locations.

Learn more at www.randstadusa.com and access Randstad's panoramic U.S. thought leadership knowledge center through its Workforce360 site that offers valuable insight into the latest economic indicators and HR trends shaping the world of work.

SOURCE Randstad US