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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., January 28, 2008 — The Administrative & Clerical Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence among U.S. administrative & clerical workers, declined 6.4 points to a new low of 36.8 in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to a recent survey commissioned by Todays Office Professionals®, a division of Spherion Corporation (NYSE:SFN). The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive®, shows that overall workers’ optimism about the economy and confidence in their own ability to find a new job decreased. At the same time, nearly three-fourths (71 percent) of administrative and clerical workers believe it is unlikely they will lose their jobs in the next year.
Results from the Administrative & Clerical Employment Report:
- The majority (78 percent) of administrative and clerical workers believe the economy is weakening, rising seven percentage points from the third quarter of 2008.
- Nearly eight in ten (79 percent) administrative and clerical workers believe there are fewer jobs available, representing a 15 percentage point increase from the previous quarter when 64 percent of workers thought so.
- Fewer administrative and clerical workers are confident in their own ability to find a new job. Specifically, 27 percent are confident in their ability to find a new position, down 13 percentage points from the third quarter.
- Seventy-one percent of administrative and clerical workers believe it is unlikely they will lose their jobs, compared to 73 percent in the third quarter of 2008.
“It is not surprising that administrative and clerical workers are feeling less confident,” said Brendan Courtney, President of Todays Office Professionals. “The fourth quarter of 2008 was marked by economic uncertainty and negative job growth spread across the majority of industries. With organizations tightening their belts and doing more with less, many administrative and clerical workers are finding themselves wearing a variety of hats within their companies. As we head into 2009, many workers continue to harbor doubts about the overall economic situation. Despite these concerns, we anticipate a healthy demand for highly-skilled administrative and clerical support to help organizations weather the economic uncertainty ahead. Workers who take on additional responsibilities during times of cost containment can improve upon their knowledge and skills, while ultimately becoming more strategically poised for career advancement when the economy turns around.”
| 4Q 2008 Employment Report Results: Administrative & Clerical | Admin/Clerical Workers | U.S. Workers | |||||
| 3Q 2008 | 4Q 2008 | % Point Change | 3Q 2008 | 4Q 2008 | % Point Change | ||
| Economy | Getting Stronger | 5% | 2% | -3 | 8% | 5% | -3 |
| Staying Same | 25% | 20% | -5 | 24% | 21% | -3 | |
| Getting Weaker | 71% | 78% | +7 | 68% | 75% | +7 | |
| Job Availability | More Jobs | 5% | 3% | -2 | 11% | 6% | -5 |
| Same Amount | 31% | 18% | -13 | 28% | 20% | -8 | |
| Fewer Jobs | 64% | 79% | +15 | 61% | 74% | +13 | |
| Ability to Find New Job | Confident | 40% | 27% | -13 | 49% | 41% | -8 |
| Neutral | 38% | 41% | +3 | 32% | 34% | +2 | |
| Not Confident | 22% | 31% | +9 | 19% | 26% | +7 | |
| Future of Current Employer | Confident | 66% | 63% | -3 | 65% | 66% | +1 |
| Neutral | 21% | 24% | +3 | 23% | 23% | 0 | |
| Not Confident | 13% | 13% | 0 | 12% | 12% | 0 | |
| Likelihood to Lose Job | Likely | 14% | 13% | -1 | 13% | 14% | +1 |
| Neutral | 13% | 15% | +2 | 11% | 12% | +1 | |
| Not Likely | 73% | 71% | -2 | 76% | 74% | -2 | |
| Likelihood to Look for New Job | Likely | 34% | 33% | -1 | 35% | 33% | -2 |
| Neutral | 11% | 11% | 0 | 11% | 12% | +1 | |
| Not Likely | 55% | 56% | +1 | 54% | 55% | +1 | |
About the Spherion Employment Report
Methodology
About Harris Interactive
About Todays Office Professionals
Todays Office Professionals is a premier provider of flexible, temp-to-hire and direct-hire professionals to a diverse portfolio of clients. Founded in 1982, Todays delivers high-quality talent and increased value through its network of 38 offices located across the U.S. Specialties include: administrative and clerical, call center, customer service, legal and financial staffing.
Todays Office Professionals is a division of Spherion Corporation (NYSE:SFN). For more information, please visit www.todays.com.
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