Employee Confidence Index Rises 2.3 Points ...( FORT LAUDERDALE Fla. Feb. 6 /- The Sp...),Health

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Spherion Employee Confidence Index increased 2.3 points to 42.7 in January from last month's survey low of 40.4. The Index, which measures workers' confidence in their personal employment situation and optimism in the economic environment, reveals that more workers are confident in their ability to find a new job. In addition, more workers (34 percent) reported that they are likely to look for a job in the next twelve months, up one percentage point from December.

"The news on the employment front has been grim over the past few months as layoffs and payroll cuts have accelerated. But, as our latest Index and January's U.S. consumer sentiment index shows, workers' optimism has slightly increased even in the face of these reports," said Roy Krause, president and CEO of Spherion Corporation. "Although difficult to pinpoint the exact cause, overall confidence may have been given a boost due to lower gas prices, a new administration and anticipation of a stimulus plan that promises to create and preserve jobs, as well as a possible extension of emergency unemployment benefits. The one thing that is certain is that the economic recovery won't happen overnight. Although many employers are riding the current economic situation out, there are pockets of hiring, especially in healthcare, IT, accounting and security, as well as in green energy. As the creation of the TARP initiative and government stimulus programs continues, the need for finance, mortgage and legal professionals will also increase. The reality is, once the economy pulls itself out of this, companies will need additional talent to create and sustain growth. With fewer hires currently taking place and more work to be done, it is crucial for companies to make smart hires. Those workers that can go beyond their job description and add immediate value will remain in high demand."

A Look Inside the Report:<
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