Houston CFOs Reveal Hiring Plans For Next Six Months

Survey Finds Ninety-Four Percent of Houston Companies Confident About Growth

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Apr 02, 2015, 08:10 ET

HOUSTON, April 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Houston Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half indicates 21 percent of Houston chief financial officers (CFOs) expect their companies to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 65 percent plan to hire for open roles, compared to 59 percent during the previous six months.

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

	Sept. 2014 – Feb. 2015	March – Aug. 2015
Expanding – adding new positions	24%	21%
Maintaining – only filling vacated positions	59%	65%
Freezing – not filling vacated positions or creating new ones	11%	10%
Reducing – eliminating positions	2%	2%
Don't know/no answer	4%	2%

"With oil prices fluctuating, companies in the Houston area are taking a measured yet proactive approach to hiring," said Phil Willingham, district president of Robert Half in Houston. "However, certain industries remain strong when it comes to professional-level hiring and candidates who have experience in the healthcare, manufacturing and real estate sectors are highly sought-after. Employers need to move quickly and extend competitive offers if they want to secure the best talent."

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

Staffing issues remain a concern for companies. In a study by Protiviti and the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Initiative at the North Carolina State University Poole College of Management, board members and senior executives cited the ability to attract and retain top talent as one of the top risks facing their businesses. The majority of respondents, 56 percent, felt it had a significant impact on their organizations.

Business Confidence
According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Houston CFOs are optimistic about their companies' growth. Ninety-four percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the next six months. This compares to 93 percent in the previous six months.

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 Houston area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees, for example, staff in the accounting, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology fields.

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 blog.roberthalf.com. Robert Half is also the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm.

SOURCE Robert Half