Employer confidence hits record low

Many employers are nervous about making long-term strategic decisions in relation to hiring and talent management as a result of uncertainty around the global financial crisis, according to Mark Steyn, CEO of Hudson Australia/New Zealand

Many employers are nervous about making long-term strategic decisions in relation to hiring and talent management as a result of uncertainty around the global financial crisis, according to Mark Steyn, CEO of Hudson Australia/New Zealand.

“Many employers have become overawed by the situation as they try to balance the need to hold onto quality staff with the pressure to improve productivity, while at the same time reducing costs,” he said.

“As a result, we have seen an increasing number of employers shift to a very passive, wait-and-see approach, opting to bunker down until the market improves.”

This is not necessarily the best move for the long-term success of a company, he said, adding that smart employers will see the downturn as an opportunity to position their business in a way that will ensure it can weather the current situation but respond quickly when the market improves.

A recent Hudson survey found that 23 per cent of employers intend to grow their perma nent headcount in the first quarter of 2009, while 17 per cent plan to decrease headcount – a jump of 10 per cent on the last quarter of 2008.

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