December 13, 2005 – Ogden area employers expect to hire at a steady pace during the first quarter of 2006 according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

From January to March, 13% of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 3% expect to reduce their payrolls, according to Manpower spokesperson Robert Katz. Another 84% expect to maintain their current staff levels.

"The Ogden area employment outlook is similar to the fourth quarter forecast when 20% of the companies interviewed predicted an increase in hiring activity, and 10% planned to decrease the hiring pace," said Katz. "A year ago at this time, employers also revealed similar hiring intentions when 30% of companies surveyed thought employment increases were likely and 20% intended to cut back."

For the coming quarter, job prospects appear best in Non-Durable Good Manufacturing and Wholesale/Retail Trade. Employers in Durable Goods Manufacturing voiced mixed hiring intentions. Hiring in Construction, Transportation/Public Utilities, Finance/Insurance/Real Estate, Education, Services, and Public Administration is expected to remain unchanged.

The national results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey reveal that U.S. employers plan to carry over their hiring sentiments into 2006. This rounds out two consecutive years of consistent job prospects.

Of the 16,000 employers that were surveyed, 23% anticipate an increase in hiring activity for the first quarter of 2006, while 10 percent expect to decrease staff levels. Sixty-one percent of employers surveyed foresee no change in hiring plans, while 6% are unsure of their staffing needs. The seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook for the first three months of the year is 20%, identical to the fourth quarter of 2005 and nearly the same as a year ago.

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 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 in the U.S. is based on interviews with nearly 16,000 public and private employers in 470 markets across the country and is considered a highly respected economic indicator.

About Manpower
Manpower, Inc. 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; organizational consulting services and professional financial services. Manpower's worldwide network of 4,300 offices in 72 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. In North America, Manpower staffing services include administrative, industrial and contact center personnel as well as the assignment of contract professionals in information technology, scientific, finance, engineering, telecommunications, and other professional areas under the Manpower Professional brand. More information on the company can be found at www.manpower.com.