Des Moines CFOs Reveal Hiring Plans For Next Six Months

Survey Finds 35 Percent of Des Moines Companies are Modifying Compensation Levels

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Sep 08, 2015, 08:13 ET

DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Des Moines Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half shows 12 percent of Des Moines chief financial officers (CFOs) expect their company to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 76 percent plan to hire for open roles.

CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time, professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:

88% of Des Moines executives expect to hire in the next six months.

	Sept. 2015 – Feb. 2016	March – Aug. 2015
Expanding – adding new positions	12%	15%
Maintaining – only filling vacated positions	76%	77%
Freezing – not filling vacated positions or creating new ones	10%	6%
Reducing – eliminating positions	2%	2%
Don't know/no answer	0%	0%

View an infographic featuring the survey results.

"As the war for talent continues to intensify in Des Moines, more employers are cognizant of the importance of retention efforts and have an increased understanding of creating a multigenerational workforce," said Mike Gremmer, regional vice president for Robert Half in Des Moines. "Professionals with audit, compliance, project management and financial analysis skills will continue to be in high demand, and we're already seeing a hiring surge due to seasonal needs."

Recruiting Challenges
Organizations looking to add staff may face difficulties, Robert Half's research shows. Fifty-three percent of Des Moines CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today.

Business Confidence
According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Des Moines CFOs are optimistic about their company's growth. Ninety-two percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their company's prospects for growth in the next six months.

Compensation Upgrades
To address staffing challenges, some firms are strengthening the salary and benefits they offer. Thirty-five percent of Des Moines CFOs surveyed said they have modified their company's compensation plan in the past 12 months as a way to enhance recruiting and retention efforts.

About the Professional Employment Forecast
The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm, and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Des Moines area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees in areas such as accounting, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology.

About Robert Half
Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers online job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. For career and management advice, follow our blog at roberthalf.com/des-moines.

SOURCE Robert Half