MILWAUKEE, June 14, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- U.S. businesses expect that the stable hiring pattern they have reported since the beginning of the year will continue into the third quarter, according to the seasonally adjusted results of the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, conducted quarterly by Manpower Inc.

"Hiring expectations among U.S. employers have had an element of deja vu for six quarters now. It may seem peculiar for the job outlook to change so little over that period of time, but this scenario is not unheard of in our survey's history. In the late 1990s, we witnessed a similar streak of consistency from hiring managers, which lasted for more than two years," said Jeffrey A. Joerres, Chairman & CEO of Manpower Inc. "This indicates that employers are hiring on an as-needed basis, but are still not ready to staff up until demand for their business truly requires it."

Of the 16,000 U.S. employers that were surveyed, 31% expect an increase in hiring for the third quarter, while 6% anticipate a decrease in employment opportunities. Fifty-seven percent of companies polled foresee no change in workforce levels, and 6% are unsure of their staffing plans. The adjusted Net Employment Outlook of 21% for the third quarter of 2005 is identical to the second quarter and similar to a year ago.

Employers in half of the 10 industry sectors surveyed expect that the third quarter hiring pace will be on par with second quarter projections. These sectors include Durable and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, Wholesale/Retail Trade, Services and Public Administration. The employment outlook is slightly stronger for the coming quarter in Construction, Transportation/Public Utilities and Education, while a more sluggish hiring pace is expected in Mining and Finance/Insurance/Real Estate.

"Construction employers anticipate an extremely strong hiring climate. Hiring plans in the Finance/Insurance/Real Estate sector, on the other hand, are expected to soften from their peak in the second quarter when employers predicted the strongest job prospects since 1979," said Joerres.

Third quarter hiring estimates are similar to those reported last quarter and a year ago in two out of the four U.S. regions surveyed -- the Northeast and the West. Employers in the South are somewhat more optimistic about hiring than they were last quarter and last year, while those in the Midwest foresee less hiring activity for the coming quarter. Employers in the South intend to offer the most promising job prospects, while those in the Midwest are least confident about hiring in the next three months.

In addition to the United States, the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted in 22 other countries and territories. The quarterly report from Manpower Inc. is the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world, gathering data from more than 45,000 employers across the globe each quarter.

Indian and Swiss employers were surveyed for the first time this quarter, with employers in India reporting the most optimistic expectations of the 23 countries in the program. In contrast, employers in Switzerland reported the weakest hiring expectations.

"Employers in India are the most optimistic about adding to their payrolls in the upcoming quarter. These strong hiring intentions are largely fueled by the vigorous hiring occurring in the Services sector," said Joerres. "Refreshingly, the labor market in Germany has begun to improve as most German employers say they're finally going to be hiring again in the third quarter. In fact, employer optimism in seven of nine German industry sectors is at an all-time survey high. Only time will tell if this increased hiring activity is sustainable."

Meanwhile, the labor markets surveyed across Asia Pacific are expected to soften, following the peak second-quarter hiring period experienced in many countries.

"The hiring pace across Asia Pacific is expected to slow down somewhat from last quarter, most notably in the Finance/Insurance/Real Estate and Wholesale/Retail Trade sectors. Japanese and Chinese employers are telling us they'll be adding staff at a considerably slower pace in the coming months, which is typical of their normal annual hiring patterns," said Joerres.

The next Manpower Employment Outlook Survey will be released on September 13, 2005 to report hiring expectations for the fourth quarter of 2005.

About the Survey

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers' intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforce during the next quarter. It is the only forward-looking survey of its kind, unparalleled in its size, scope longevity and area of focus. The survey has been running for more than 40 years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment activity in the world. The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is based on interviews with more than 45,000 public and private employers worldwide and is considered a highly respected economic indicator.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is currently available for 23 countries and territories: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The program began in the United States and Canada in 1962, and the United Kingdom was added in 1966. Mexico and Ireland launched the survey in 2002, and 13 additional countries have been added to the program in 2003. New Zealand joined the program in 2004, and China, India, Switzerland and Taiwan were added in 2005. For more information, visit the Manpower Inc. Web site at http://www.manpower.com , and enter the Press Room.

About Manpower Inc.

Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in the employment services industry, offering customers a continuum of services to meet their needs throughout the employment and business cycle. The company specializes in permanent, temporary and contract recruitment; employee assessment; training; career transition and organizational consulting services. Manpower's worldwide network of 4,300 offices in 68 countries and territories enables the company to meet the needs of its 400,000 customers per year, including small and medium size enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the world's largest multinational corporations. The focus of Manpower's work is on raising productivity through improved quality, efficiency and cost-reduction, enabling customers to concentrate on their core business activities. In addition to the Manpower brand, the company operates under the brand names of Right Management Consultants, Jefferson Wells, Elan and Brook Street. More information on Manpower Inc. is available at http://www.manpower.com .

SOURCE Manpower Inc.

Lisa Tagliapietra of Manpower Inc., +1-414-906-6540,
lisa.tagliapietra@na.manpower.com

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