Most US Companies Plan on Hiring This Year

March 11, 2004 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The good news is that companies in the United States are hiring, while the bad news is that they may be taking some of your employees with them.

More than eight out 10 (83%) United States companies plan on adding to the firm’s head count in the next three months. The United States employment outlook was the best among 954 executives in 10 countries surveyed by Accenture, followed by Canada, Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom, whereas France and Spain were the least optimistic about hiring in the next three months.

For nearly a quarter (22%) of the respondents, the next three months can not get here soon enough, as they are already recruiting heavily.

New employees have to come from somewhere and employees at the moment are asking themselves the great Kinks question, “Should I stay or should I go?” More than half (55%) of the 508 full time US workers canvassed said they plan to stay at their current jobs more than 10 years yet at the same time, 40% plan to leave within the next five years.

Hope springs eternal for employers looking to cut down on turnover. Employees who said they plan to leave their current jobs within the next five years noted a variety of factors that would prompt them to stay put. For 71% it was as simple as lining their wallets with more cash, followed by:

  • 58% – opportunities for advancement
  • 30% – different boss and management team
  • 27% – better or more training.

“Employers should protect themselves from raids on their talent by ensuring that their compensation and benefits programs remain competitive,” Ed Jensen, a partner in Accenture’s Human Performance service line said in a news release. “In addition, by focusing on training and other skill-building opportunities, as well as on increased employee dialogue with senior management, they can enhance employees’ satisfaction and commitment in advance of competitive offers.”

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