Phoenix CFOs Reveal Hiring Plans For Next Six Months

Survey Finds Ninety-Three Percent of Phoenix Companies Confident About Growth

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Apr 02, 2015, 08:10 ET

PHOENIX, April 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Phoenix Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half indicates 14 percent of Phoenix chief financial officers (CFOs) expect their companies to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 75 percent plan to hire for open roles, compared to 72 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	15%	14%
Maintaining – only filling vacated positions	72%	75%
Freezing – not filling vacated positions or creating new ones	12%	10%
Reducing – eliminating positions	1%	2%

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

"We're seeing growth throughout most sectors in the Phoenix market. Companies that want to stay ahead of the curve need to focus on hiring and retaining star performers," said Brett Good, senior district president of Robert Half in Phoenix. "Candidates with specialized skills are becoming harder to find, and employers need to move quickly and extend competitive offers if they want to secure top talent."

Recruiting Challenges
Organizations looking to add staff may face difficulties, Robert Half's research shows. Sixty-five percent of Phoenix 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, Phoenix CFOs are optimistic about their companies' growth. Ninety-three percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' growth prospects in the next 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 Phoenix 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