Hiring intentions have fallen flat in the Kiwi employment market as market woes in Europe weigh heavily on employer confidence.
A national survey of more than 650 New Zealand employers by recruitment company ManPower has revealed a three per cent fall (to 18 per cent) in employment outlook from last quarter, with those in the manufacturing sector among the worst hit by the global uncertainty.
"Employers in New Zealand are holding out for good news. They want to grow, but there isn't enough confidence in the market for them to make a decided move," ManpowerGroup New Zealand and Australia managing director Lincoln Crawley said.
While the drop in hiring intentions was partly a market correction after the Rugby World Cup inflated optimism, the renewed threat of a double dip recession was also affecting employer confidence, Manpower said.
Mining and construction sector employers continue to scale back hiring plans, with their outlook dropping 21 per cent to nine per cent from last year, while those in the finance, insurance and real estate industry reporting negative hiring intentions (down 18 per cent to -3 per cent) for the first time since mid-2009.
