Survey sees more hiring in some sectors of economy By Laura Bailey July 08, 2003 2:56 PM
Hiring is expected to increase at smaller companies and in the service, government-nonprofit and technology sectors, according to a majority of 800 businesses responding to a new survey.
The University of Michigan Business School and the Ann Arbor-based research company eePulse Inc. conducted the first Leadership Pulse survey in June to measure the effects of key resources and confidence levels on business growth and performance.
Executives worldwide answer five short questions online that are designed to measure "resource movement," or the degree to which key business resources will decrease, remain stable or increase the following month.
Another set of questions called the confidence scale measures the rate at which respondents feel confident in their company's leadership, vision, ability to change, employees and the economic conditions.
The results for resource movement go out monthly, the confidence scale every other month.
Besides the questions, open-ended comments are collected and analyzed each month.
Some other key results of the June survey are:
Respondents had the highest confidence in leadership and the lowest confidence in the economy.
During July, respondents plan to increase the number of customers more than sales, employees, net profit or products and services.
Confidence outranked growth as a key to better organizational performance.
The highest-rated resource was customers and the lowest-rated employees.
The study is set to continue for a year. Leaders who wish to participate can call (734) 996-2321.
