The results of the cyclical Antal Global Snapshot employment dynamics survey indicate that employer optimism in Poland has decreased slightly compared to the previous edition of the study. However, employers in the Transport, Forwarding, and Logistics (TSL) industry are still looking for specialists and managers.
The thirteenth edition of the Antal Global Snapshot survey presents data obtained from interviews with 16,832 companies across 52 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The study was conducted using CATI and CAWI methods. The anonymous survey involved chief executives, directors, managers, as well as HR department employees from manufacturing, service, and financial institutions. In Poland, the study covered a group of 2,743 employers and was conducted between October 8 and November 30, 2012.
During the study, 52% of companies declared recruitment of specialists and managers in the fourth quarter (compared to 58%). 48% of respondents have hiring plans for the beginning of 2013. A positive sign is the stabilization of the layoff rate at a relatively low level of 16% and a forecast of 17%. Employers are still looking for qualified employees, although they are holding back on large-scale hiring while waiting for the economic improvement expected in the second quarter.
– Most companies are still interested in current information regarding candidate availability. For now, ongoing recruitment for specialist and managerial positions is mainly related to projects started last year, but we are receiving signals that the most innovative and forward-thinking companies are planning new investments soon, which will influence a renewed increase in employment dynamics – comments Artur Skiba, Managing Director of Antal International and Vice President of the Association of Employment Agencies.
Employment dynamics in the TSL industry
In the Transport, Forwarding, and Logistics industry, 43% of employers declared plans to hire specialists and managers in the first quarter of 2013. At the same time, only 14% planned layoffs.
– Logistics is a barometer that shows market trends. Because the economic situation has become slightly more difficult, the employment dynamics for specialists and managers in this industry have decreased slightly. However, along with the decline in the number of employers planning to hire, the number of companies intending to lay off staff in the first quarter has also fallen. This indicates stabilization. It is worth noting that contract employment is also becoming increasingly popular – notes Fabian Pietras, Senior Consultant at Antal Engineering & Operations.
Poland against the backdrop of the world
The latest edition of the Antal Global Snapshot survey confirms a further shift in recruitment activity from so-called Western economies to countries considered developing economies. Among the countries surveyed by Antal International where the most companies report a demand for specialists and managers, three are in Africa – Botswana, Nigeria, and Ghana. Conversely, the bottom five positions include four European Union member states: Portugal, Italy, Germany, and Spain.
– In terms of the percentage of companies planning to hire specialists and managers in Q1, Poland ranks in the middle of the list. However, considering the low percentage of planned layoffs, it can be said that it belongs to one of the most stable labor markets – comments Artur Skiba, Managing Director of Antal International and Vice President of the Association of Employment Agencies.