February 2013 Management

A Hiring High? By Tim Hodson

Spring is just around the corner. Your greenhouses are probably already buzzing with a lot of activity — but in the coming weeks they will become even more hectic as more people are required to take care of the plants you are growing.

Have you figured out all of your personnel plans for this season yet? Will you be growing your payroll as you grow your petunias in the coming weeks and months?

If you haven't solidified your hiring plans by now, you may want to do so sooner rather than later.

According to the employment experts, the job market is supposed to improve in the first quarter of this year. In fact, it is supposed to be the best quarter for hiring since the first quarter of 2008.

The employment staffing firm ManpowerGroup surveyed more than 18,000 employers to find out what their hiring plans are for the first three months of 2013 — and it looks like the employment forecast is pretty optimistic.

While the majority of the survey respondents said they did not foresee any major changes in their hiring plans in this quarter, 17 percent said they plan to add to their workforce this year compared to the same period in 2012. This is the most confident companies have been in years!

Employers in the Northeast and in the West are expected to see the biggest increases in hiring, while the South and the Midwest are expected to remain essentially unchanged.

How is the labor market in your area? If the experts are correct, you may have some stiff competition when it comes to hiring your seasonal help. Will you be able to hire the people you need this spring?

What are your hiring plans for this quarter? This year?

Drop me a line at thodson@sgcmail.com and let me know if you plan to grow your payroll along with your pansies.