Metro Milwaukee’s fourth quarter hiring outlook is not as positive as it was last year or during the third quarter, according to the latest Employment Outlook Survey from Milwaukee-based ManpowerGroup.
At 26 percent, the percentage of respondents planning to increase staffing during the fourth quarter was up from the same period in 2015, but the 9 percent planning to decrease staffing was also an increase.
The net employment outlook, which is the percentage planning to increase staffing minus those planning a decrease, registered at 17 percent, down from 20 percent in 2015 and 26 percent in the third quarter.
ManpowerGroup said the best job prospects in the Milwaukee area appear to be in durable and nondurable goods manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, financial activities, education and health services and leisure and hospitality.
The hiring outlook for Wisconsin as a whole was less optimistic than Milwaukee, with a net employment outlook of 15 percent, down from 23 percent in the third quarter and flat compared with 2015.
Nationally, the ManpowerGroup survey found a net employment outlook of 16 percent and a seasonally adjusted figure of 18 percent. The latter was an increase from 15 percent in the third quarter and flat compared to 2015.
Regionally, the seasonally adjusted outlook was strongest in the West at 19 percent, followed by the South at 18 percent. The Northwest and Midwest both registered an outlook of 16 percent.
Manpower said employers in all 13 industry sectors it measures expect to increase payrolls. Hiring is expected to be led by leisure and hospitality, wholesale and retail trade and transportation and utilities.
Durable goods manufacturing, other services and mining have the worst hiring outlook, according to Manpower.
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