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U.S. employee confidence up in third quarter: survey

Thu Oct 1, 2009 9:21am EDT

By Ellen Wulfhorst
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. employee confidence edged up in the third quarter, with many workers saying the worst of the recession is over, but that optimism came with hopes for raises and advancement when the dust clears, a survey released on Thursday showed.
If the economy reaches pre-recession levels, 57 percent of U.S. workers polled said they would expect a raise, bonus or promotion, according to the quarterly survey conducted for Glassdoor.com, an online site providing company information to employees, job seekers and employers.
The findings were based on responses from 2,257 U.S. adults nationwide, of whom 1,195 were employed full- or part-time, and 166 were self-employed. The survey was conducted by research firm Harris Interactive.
The survey aimed to assess employee confidence in terms of hiring, outlook, compensation and job security.
Nine out of 10 of those questioned forecast that their company's outlook will stay the same or improve in the next six months, with 44 percent predicting improvement. The previous quarter, only 39 percent predicted improvement, and only 35 percent in the first quarter predicted improvement.
"Employees now reveal they're expecting payback in the form of raises, bonuses, promotions and perks once the economy recovers," Rusty Rueff, Glassdoor.com career and workplace expert, said in a statement.
"Combine these high expectations with the one in five employees who expects to change jobs when the music really starts on the economy, and employers will have new challenges," he said.
Companies will need to "bridge the gap between employee expectations and the post-recession realities," he said.
Twenty-two percent of respondents expressed concern that they could be laid off in the next six months, compared to 24 percent in the second quarter and 26 percent in the first quarter, the survey found.
Layoff concern among men was much higher, at 26 percent, than among women, at 17 percent. Job losses in the U.S. recession have been particularly heavy among men, who dominated hard-hit industries such as construction and manufacturing.
Twenty-three percent said their companies initiated furloughs, unpaid leave or mandatory vacations during the most recent quarter, up from 18 percent in the prior quarter.
Looking ahead, one in three said they expect a pay raise or cost of living increase in the next 12 months, while of those eligible for a bonus, three in five said they expect one.
If they were to lose their job, 44 percent of those taking part in the survey said they believe they could find a new job matching their experience and compensation level in the next six months, up from 39 percent each in the prior two quarters.

Something New Called Focus 2!

Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.

It helps you decide what your major should be!

OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!

FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.

Be sure to check it out today!

Events for the Week:

10/30	Advertising Career Day
	Applications Due
11/2	Advertising Career Day
	8-5
11/2	Nursing Employment Fair
	221 Union
11/2	JET Program Info Session
	10:15-11 210 Union
11/2-4	Career Mentor Interviews
11/9	Grad School Seminar
11/9	Rockhurst University MBA
	10-2 Union
11/9	Kaplan Test Prep
	10-2 Union
11/9-10	Vector Marketing
	10-2 Mon 11-2 Tues Union
11/12	Navy Lunch & Learn
	11:30-1 White Dining Room

Etiquette Tip of the Week:

“In the event of bad breath, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling... if only.  When your breath stinks, it’s hard to do business.

Remedy garlic breath or bad breath during a business meal by chewing on parsley, drinking lemonade or taking advantage of the restaurant's after dinner mints.  Chewing on coffee beans is a quick fix, although this might be followed later by coffee breath.  Chewing gum is unprofessional, unless you are a football coach.”

   As you know, giving credit to the Culture and Manners Institute at http://www.cultureandmanners.com/ is the polite thing to do.

Quote from the Office:

“If the Trustees come by say hi and give them a Dum Dum!” -Judy