Manufacturing and Logistics Workers Less Confident in Fourth Quarter of 2013

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Mar 10, 2014, 01:00 ET

ATLANTA, March 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Randstad Manufacturing Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence amongst U.S. manufacturing and logistics workers, fell 4.2 points to 48.0 in Q4 2013. The quarterly survey, conducted by Harris Poll among 167 manufacturing and logistics workers on behalf of Randstad, also found workers projected less optimism in the strength of the economy, with a 15 percentage point increase in respondents believing the economy is getting weaker. At the same time, nearly four-in-10 (38%) of workers reported they are likely to conduct a job search.

"Within the manufacturing and logistics industry, activity is constantly oscillating, and the drop we've seen in the Employee Confidence Index is a reflection of that trend," said Phyllis Finley, Executive Vice President at Randstad US. "However, by the accounts of many economists, 2014 is expected to be a year driven by growth in the manufacturing sector, and I expect the outlook of workers in this sector will lift as more jobs are added in the U.S.

"As far as job expansion in the sector, 10,000 manufacturing jobs are expected to be the added in the Detroit, Michigan region in the next five years as part of a high-tech manufacturing hub that is set to open this spring," Finley added. "However, a recent Institute for Supply Management survey notes that while hiring managers expect to increase staffing by an average of 2.4 percent this year, an ongoing concern within the industry is finding skilled workers who have specific expertise, such as capital-intensive, robotics-intensive production and additive manufacturing."

Q4 Survey Highlights:

Manufacturing Workers' Confidence in the Economy Falls in the Fourth Quarter

More than half (51%) of manufacturing professionals believe the economy is getting weaker, increasing 15 percentage points from the third quarter of 2013.

Job Outlook Among Workers Dims

Manufacturers who feel there are fewer jobs available increased six percentage points to 55 percent in Q4 2013.

Confidence in Job Security Declines

Twenty-six percent of manufacturing and logistics workers feel it is likely they will lose their current job, a nine percentage point increase from the previous quarter's readings.

More Workers Likely to Search for New Employment

Thirty-eight percent of manufacturers say they are likely to look for a new job within the next 12 months, an increase of eight 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 ages 18 and older, of which 167 are employed in manufacturing and logistics. 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 Manufacturing & Logistics
With more than 50 years of experience in the Manufacturing & Logistics industry, we can access the right talent at the right time. We designed our products, services and solutions with the specifications required to best ensure that our clients receive qualified, dependable talent who they can trust to perform the job responsibly.

With our deep industry understanding, experience and commitment to ongoing education, we have designed an unparalleled service model to deliver reliability, responsibility and results. Our service and expertise in attracting and assessing the right talent for the right job combine to create partnerships that result in ongoing success.

About Randstad
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.randstadstaffing.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