Mergis Group A&F Worker Confidence Edges Up Slightly; Reaches Highest Level Seen Since Q4 2007

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The Accounting and Finance Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence among U.S. accounting and finance workers, increased 0.6 points to 53.9 in the third quarter of 2010, according to a recent survey commissioned by The Mergis Group®, the professional placement division of SFN Group, Inc. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive®, shows a decline in employee confidence in the economy and job market, while workers' optimism in their own personal employment situations increased.

Results from the Accounting & Finance Employment Report:

• Twenty-three percent of accounting and finance workers believe the economy is getting stronger, representing a 10 percentage point drop from the second quarter of 2010.
• More than half of accounting and finance workers (60 percent) believe there are fewer jobs available, up 10 percentage points from the previous quarter.
• Nearly three-fourths (73 percent) of accounting and finance workers are confident in the future of their current employer, an increase of 11 percentage points from the second quarter of 2010.
• More accounting and finance workers are confident in their ability to find a new job, with 44 percent reporting confidence as compared to 36 percent the previous quarter.

"While our Accounting and Finance Confidence Index showed little movement in the third quarter, our latest Report reveals significant fluctuations in workers' viewpoints," stated Brendan Courtney, president of The Mergis Group. "The Report illustrates that workers' confidence in the economy and job market have dimmed. Conversely, workers are now indicating greater confidence in the future of their current employers and in their ability to find a new job. Moreover, three in ten workers indicate that they are likely to make a job change in the next 12 months. With 2011 right around the corner, employers are encouraged to make an extra effort by acknowledging employees who have weathered the economic turbulence with the company. Employers who heed these statistics are less likely to be faced with an unhappy workforce that jumps ship at the first sign of a full economic recovery."

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