India tops in Manpower Outlook survey

The NEO in the country has registered a 9 point increase over its score last year and a 3 point increase over the previous quarter and is at an all-time high.

Of the 4,550 employers surveyed, 46 per cent expected their staffing level to go up with 3 per cent expecting a decrease and another 41 per cent expecting no change in the current level. The survey includes employers across seven industry sectors.

On a quarter to quarter basis, the services sector was most bullish with an 8 point increase in NEO at 50 per cent. The transportation and utilities sector however witnessed a 9 point fall in its NEO at 37 per cent.

‘‘The transportation and utlilities sector had peaked last quarter on the back of the aviation boom and a correction was on the cards. The sector is consolidating and we expect it to rise again in the coming quarters,’’ said Manpower India Executive Chairman Soumen Basu.

Regional trends in the survey showed employers in the North as the most optimistic with a NEO of 49 per cent followed by East and South at 42 per cent and West at 41 per cent. The eastern belt, however, had the strongest year on year increase of 17 per centage points while North increased its tally by 13 points.