SA jobs outlook weak

South Africa’s hiring outlook for Q1 of 2020 is the weakest it has been in five years, according to the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.

Small and micro enterprises were the hardest hit, with only large employers expecting a steady increase in payrolls in the coming quarter.

Of 753 South African employers surveyed – across five regions and 10 sectors – the strongest labour market was anticipated in the Western Cape, where the employment outlook is +4 percent.

This was against an overall outlook of +2 percent, after the data was adjusted to allow for seasonal variations.

Payroll prospects appeared subdued, the survey found. While 10 percent of employers forecast an increase in payrolls, 8 percent anticipated a decrease and another 1 percent weren’t sure.

A total of 81 percent expected to make no changes. Opportunities for job seekers are expected to be strongest in the Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Business Services sectors, where the net employment outlook is +9 percent.

There are also some hiring opportunities in Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry & Fishing, as well as Restaurants & Hotels – though the latter did see a decline of 3 percentage points. — Fin24.