Mergis Group Accounting & Finance Employee Confidence Index Dips; Fewer Workers Express Confidence in the Future of Their Employers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Accounting and Finance Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence among U.S. accounting and finance workers, slipped 2.1 points to 50.0 in the second quarter of 2011, according to a recent survey of 3,833 U.S. adults among which 183 are employed in Accounting and Finance commissioned by The Mergis Group®, the professional placement division of SFN Group, Inc. The survey, conducted online by Harris Interactive®, reveals that fewer workers are confident in the strength of the economy and in the future of their current employer.

Results from the Accounting & Finance Employment Report:

• Fewer accounting and finance workers are confident in the strength of the economy. Specifically, 23 percent of workers expressed confidence in the second quarter of 2011, as compared to 29 percent who were optimistic in the previous quarter.
• Fifty-six percent of accounting and finance workers are confident in the future of their current employer, down nine percentage points from the previous quarter.
• Fewer accounting and finance workers are likely to make a job transition in the next 12 months. Thirty-one percent indicated that they were likely to look for a new position in the second quarter of the year, versus 36 percent who were likely to look for a new job in the first quarter of the year.

"In comparison to the first few months of the year, accounting and finance workers were noticeably less confident during the second quarter of 2011, evident in the decline of our latest index," stated Brendan Courtney, president of The Mergis Group. "The road toward economic recovery will certainly not happen overnight. The workforce is looking for consistent growth in our economy, and without that, confidence levels may ebb and flow. Although our Index has seemingly lost some of the momentum seen in 2010, we are encouraged that the Index continues to remain well above the levels seen during the recession."

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of The Mergis Group from April 12-14, May 10-12 & June 14-16, 2011 among 3,833 adults ages 18 and older of which 183 are employed in accounting and finance. 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] or 1-800-422-3819.

Demographic Results

Survey Background Information

About The Mergis Group

The Mergis Group is a leading professional placement firm that specializes in recruiting for positions in finance and accounting, engineering and manufacturing, sales and marketing, legal and human resources. The firm provides recruiting services to Fortune 500 and small and mid-sized companies through its network of 35 offices nationally.

The Mergis Group is a division of SFN Group, Inc. SFN operates a family of specialty businesses providing strategic workforce solutions in professional services and general staffing. To learn more, please visit www.mergisgroup.com.

SOURCE The Mergis Group