SME employer hiring confidence continues to grow

Employers in Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are continuing to express more optimism than large businesses as to their hiring intentions for 2004, according to Manpower, the UK’s leading workforce management company.

The results from Manpower’s Employment Outlook Survey covering the quarter to June 2004 show that the balance of employers in small and medium sized businesses looking to recruit more staff has risen to 21% and 17% respectively, from a figure of 17% and 11% at the start of the year. The outlook for larger businesses stands at 11% compared to 2% for the same period. However, this figure for large businesses is still below the average for all business sizes of 16%.

Comments Hazel Detsiny, Director at Manpower: Small businesses play an important role in the UK economy and reports of their intent to continue expanding their workforce are particularly encouraging. At Manpower, we’re seeing demand for staff for SMEs across the UK and from a wide variety of sectors from manufacturing to retail to financial services. Many companies are also looking to expand their permanent workforces which can often be seen as an encouraging sign of future business confidence.

Nigel Griffiths, Minister for Small Business and Enterprise, comments: The results of this survey are extremely heartening as small and medium sized enterprises hold the key to the UK’s continued economic prosperity - employing more than 12 million people and contributing more than 1 trillion to the economy. The Government is committed to making the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business, delivering through our action plan for small business.

Stephen Alambritis, Head of Parliamentary Affairs at the Federation of Small Businesses, adds: This survey reflects our members’ experience in wanting to grow their business and in their desire to fulfill their job creation potential.

Manpower takes its responsibility as the direct employer of all staff seriously by investing heavily in its training and development programmes. The Global Learning Centre is a free online tool offering over 1,500 courses in diverse areas such as business and IT, to all those working through Manpower.