Indian employers most optimistic on hiring plans

India has once again emerged as the most optimistic nation in terms of hiring intentions with 19 per cent of employers having positive recruitment plans for the next three months, even as economic slowdown continues to squeeze the global labour market.     

According to the latest survey by global staffing services firm Manpower, India has an overall net employment outlook — a measure of hiring plans by employers — of 19 per cent for the July-September period, the most among the 34 countries surveyed.     

The Manpower Employment Outlook showed that only 11 of the 34 countries have positive hiring plans, indicating the general gloom in the global job market in the wake of the tough economic scenario.     

Manpower India Managing Director Naresh Malhan said "the results for this quarter is encouraging as the rest of the world is suffering badly from the global economic downturn. The positive intent among Indian employers is translating into action and in fields like PSU better than other sectors".     

However, this is the weakest forecast ever in the last four years. The net employment outlook of 19 per cent is six percentage points weaker on a quarter-on-quarter basis and a whopping 24 points drop from the year-ago period.     

Nearly 4,800 employers spread across 30 cities in the country took part in the survey, which was carried out in the middle of April.