Seattle CFOs Reveal Hiring Plans For Next Six Months

Survey Finds 91 Percent of Executives Are Somewhat or Very Confident in Their Companies' Growth Prospects

News provided by

Apr 02, 2015, 08:10 ET

SEATTLE, April 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Seattle Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half indicates 13 percent of Seattle 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 73 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	18%	13%
Maintaining – only filling vacated positions	73%	75%
Freezing – not filling vacated positions or creating new ones	7%	10%
Reducing – eliminating positions	1%	2%
Don't know/no answer	1%	1%
*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

"Companies in the Seattle area are having difficulty finding skilled candidates for professional-level positions due to an overall increase in labor demand and professional unemployment rates shifting to pre-recession levels," said Josh Warborg, district president for Robert Half in Seattle. "We are seeing sharp increases in hiring and growth in most business sectors, including aerospace, technology and healthcare. With top talent so difficult to secure, businesses must offer attractive compensation and consider other perks such as flexible schedules and sign-on bonuses to remain competitive and attract the most in-demand candidates."

Recruiting Challenges

Organizations looking to add staff may face difficulties, Robert Half's research shows. Sixty percent of Seattle 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, Seattle CFOs are optimistic about their companies' growth. Ninety-one 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 Seattle 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