Ljubljana, 12 June (STA) - Slovenian employers are cautiously optimistic about employment trends in the third quarter of 2018. The seasonally adjusted net employment outlook stands at +9%, three percentage points lower than in the previous quarter and the lowest in two years, shows the latest survey by temping agency Manpower.
Eleven percent of the employers surveyed plan more hirings in the coming quarter, 2% expect a drop and 85% expect no change in their headcount.
Growth is expected across all ten industries surveyed.
Employers in transport, logistics and communications are the most optimistic, with the net employment outlook at 14 percentage points.
Manufacturing is another sector expecting growth, by 11 points, but Manpower said growth in this sector slowed down to its weakest in two years.
Overall, the employment outlook, while still positive, slowed down in five industries, most notably in financial and business services, insurance and real estate, where it declined by 4 points.
Compared with the July-September period last year, seven industries reported a decline in hiring outlook.
As for regions, the strongest push for new hiring is expected by employers in central Slovenia (+15pp) and the south-west (+11pp).
Large companies reported a +23% employment outlook, medium-sized companies +10% and small companies +8%.
Slovenia is one of 26 countries from the region covering Europe, the Middle East and Africa which takes part in the Manpower survey.
Robert Vovk of Manpower Slovenija said Slovenia placed in the middle of the rankings in the region, alongside Norway, Slovakia and Germany.
Asked whether the forecasts could deteriorate further due to simmering global trade disputes, Vovk said the projections had already been scaled back after several years of robust growth.
New tensions may additionally weaken demand, but it is too early as yet to estimate the scope of the impact, he told the STA.