By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Job prospects in the Buffalo Niagara region will be limited this Spring. A survey released Monday indicates only a small percentage of Buffalo Niagara businesses plan to recruit more workers.
A Manpower employment outlook survey finds only seven percent of businesses in the Buffalo Niagara Falls area plan to hire more workers in April, May and June. Manpower spokesperson Sandra Sullivan says 27 percent of local businesses surveyed expect to cut back, 29 percent expect no work force changes and 37 percent don't know.
"What we did find, specifically for the Spring quarter of 2002, hiring appears most likely in public administration," Sullivan said. "We did find durable good manufacturers, wholesale retail merchants, finance, insurance, real estate employers plan to cut back. Service employers report mixed intentions."
Sullivan says the survey finds the Buffalo Niagara region is behind other parts of the country in employment expansion. Nationally 21 percent of businesses expect to add jobs. Only ten percent will trim positions.
"The Northeast, in general, was certainly lagging behind in the increase in staff during this second quarter then certainly the other regions in North America," she said.
The Manpower survey is conducted on a quarterly basis across the U.S. to measure employers' intentions to increase or decrease its work force. Sullivan says it appears many businesses are being cautious about future growth due to the recession.