Randstad: Employee Confidence Slightly Up in March

Each month the survey monitors the nation’s workers’ personal confidence and tracks perspectives around jobs and the economy. The latest survey of 1,185 U.S. workers showed that although workers feel more nervous about the availability of jobs, confidence in their personal ability to find a new job and in the future of their current employers is still high. According to Randstad, “these combined personal confidence factors reached the largest gain since April 2010.”

“It’s not surprising the American workforce is feeling a bit wary when it comes to the state of the economy. We’ve all seen the impact of payroll taxes and steep gas prices on our wallets.  Added to these feelings, of course, is the ongoing budget debate in Washington. The effects of sequestration are just now beginning to be felt by US workers, and many Americans are on standby as they wait to see what happens before taking action around hiring or looking for new job opportunities,” said Jim Link, managing director of human resources for Randstad US.

“Despite all of these factors, employees in the US feel confident in their personal ability to find a new job and in the future of their employers. This personal confidence barometer is a welcome sign of an improving job market,” Link added. “Workers aren’t sure what the employment situation looks like on a grand scale, but the fact remains that a majority of workers feel secure in the future of their employer — and this is a positive indicator of economic stability.”

Findings from the report include:

• Overall confidence rose slightly in March as the Randstad Employee Confidence Index increased somewhat from 53.5 in February to 53.9 in March

• 52 percent of U.S. workers polled said they believe there are fewer jobs available (an increase from 47 percent in February)

• 4 in 10 workers (42 percent) feel confident in their ability to get a new job if they searched

• Workers’ confidence in the future of their employers jumped 7 percentage points from 56 percent in February to 63 percent this month

• 55 percent of workers don’t plan to search for a job over the next year