Confidence Decreases Among Office & Administration Workers in Q4 2013

ATLANTA, Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Randstad Office & Administrative Confidence Index, overall sentiment among workers in this sector declined from 55.9 in the third quarter to 47.6 in the fourth quarter of 2013. The survey, which measures overall confidence among U.S. office and administrative professionals, was conducted online among 356 office and administrative professionals by Harris Poll on behalf of Randstad.

Office and administrative workers expressed lower levels of confidence in the strength of the economy, with just 17 percent believing the economy is getting stronger, declining 17 percentage points from the previous quarter. Also, fewer office and administrative workers believe more jobs are available, with this belief falling eight percentage points to 13 percent in the fourth quarter. Still, job security among these employees remained high with the majority (70%) saying it is not likely they will lose their jobs in the coming year.

"As we head into 2014, we expect confidence levels to increase as the demand for office and administrative workers continue to rise," said Phyllis Finley, Executive Vice President at Randstad US. "In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that employment of secretaries and administrative assistants is projected to grow twelve percent from 2012 to 2022. Within our own business, we are seeing demand rise for administrative professionals with accounting experience, specifically with accounts payable and accounts receivable capabilities. We are also seeing companies require more industry specific knowledge when looking for the right fit. It is certainly a good time to be an office and administrative professional."

Office & Administrative Workers' Confidence in Job Availability Declines

• Compared to Q3 of 2013, fewer office and administrative workers believe more jobs are available in the marketplace, with this belief falling eight percentage points to 13 percent in Q4.

Job Security Decreases, but Remains High

• Fewer office and administrative workers are confident in their job security in the fourth quarter of 2013, dropping seven percentage points from the previous quarter to 70 percent in Q4.

More Office & Administrative Workers Likely to Look for New Jobs

• Increasing three percentage points from the previous quarter, 31 percent of these employees responded that they are likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months, compared to 28 percent of respondents in the previous quarter.

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

• Just over a third (35%) of office and administrative workers are confident in their ability to find new jobs, falling five percentage points from the third quarter of 2013.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Randstad from October 8-10, November 6-8 and December 3-5, 2013, among 3,113 adults 18 and older of which 356 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 5,660 employment experts, Randstad puts an average of nearly 100,000 people to work in the U.S. each week, through its network of more than 900 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