NZers feeling more secure in jobs: Poll

New Zealanders are growing more confident they will keep their jobs despite unemployment reaching a six year high.

Research New Zealand staff telephoned 501 people aged 15 years and older between April 24-30. Of employed people, 79 per cent felt their jobs were secure, up from 76 per cent in February and 73 per cent in November last year.

Nineteen per cent were not confident they would keep their jobs down from 21 per cent in February and 24 per cent in November.

Eighteen per cent of respondents said the state of the economy was having a big impact on their financial situation and standard of living, while 50 per cent said it was having somewhat of an impact and 32 per cent said it was having no impact at all.

In September last year, 33 per cent said it was having a big impact, 57 per cent said it was having somewhat of an impact and 10 per cent said it was having no impact at all.

Sixty-three per cent of people thought the Government was taking the right steps to manage the recession.

Research New Zealand director Emanuel Kalafatelis said despite all the recession talk, 44 per cent of New Zealanders were cautiously optimistic their financial situation would improve in the next 12 months.

"This is a significant improvement on the result earlier this year, when we found 32 per cent saying this."

He thought fewer people might have said the state of the economy was having an impact on their financial status and standard of living because they had adjusted their spending.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 per cent.

- NZPA