According to the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, Slovenian employers report modest hiring plans for the first quarter of 2020 with a Net Employment Outlook of +7%, the weakest reported in more than three years. Hiring prospects decline by 8 percentage points when compared with the previous quarter and are 13 percentage points weaker in comparison with the same period last year.

The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers' intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforces during the next quarter. ManpowerGroup's comprehensive forecast of employer hiring plans has been running for more than 55 years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment activity in the world.

A new employment downfall or just a false alarm?

"Slovenian economic growth is slowing down according to the forecast of economic trends and we are expecting it to remain at a similar level in 2020. Employers are therefore adjusting their HR policies accordingly, but we must not overlook the fact that the employment prognosis remains positive," highlights Nuno Gameiro, Regional Managing Director for South Eastern Europe. "The results of the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey reveal that Slovenia remains steadily positioned among the top 10 countries in EMEA region. Furthermore, numerous job vacancies remain open for Slovenian job seekers," concludes Gameiro.

The strongest hiring sentiment expected in the Construction sector

Looking at the industry-specific data, workforce growth is anticipated for all 10 industry sectors in the coming quarter. The strongest hiring prospects are reported in the Construction sector where the Net Employment Outlook is +17%. Electricity, Gas & Water sector employers also forecast a steady hiring pace, reporting an Outlook of +11%, while the Restaurants & Hotels sector Outlook stands at +10%.

The regional results reveal that the strongest hiring pace is anticipated by the North East employers who report a Net Employment Outlook of +13%. Some hiring opportunities are anticipated in the South West and Central regions, where Outlooks stand at +8% and +6%, respectively, while the Outlook for the South East is +4%.

Some of the sectors expect the weakest labor market in four years or more

When compared with the previous quarter, hiring sentiment declines in all 10 industry sectors. Employers in Transport, Storage and Communication sector expect the weakest labor market in six years during the forthcoming quarter, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of +8%. Considerable decreases of 17 and 15 percentage points are reported in the Manufacturing sector and the Mining & Quarrying sector, respectively. Furthermore, employers in Manufacturing expect the weakest hiring pace in six years during the coming quarter. Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Business Services sector employers expect the weakest labor market in four years reporting a decline of 12 percentage points. The Outlook for the Wholesale & Retail Trade sector is 10 percentage points weaker and is the weakest reported in four years.

Greece and Romania anticipate the strongest hiring intentions

Looking at the survey results for the EMEA region, payroll gains are anticipated in all 26 countries surveyed during the first quarter of 2020. Employers in Greece and Romania anticipate the strongest hiring pace during the next three months, while the weakest labor markets are forecast in Italy and Spain.

In France, employers report the strongest hiring sentiment in 12 years, expecting to grow payrolls in nine of 10 sectors. By contrast, the weakest labor market in three years is forecast for Germany in the upcoming quarter with Manufacturing sector employers reporting their weakest hiring plans in more than three years.

Overshadowed by Brexit uncertainty, the weakest labor market in seven years is anticipated by UK employers, with hiring sentiment softening in seven of nine industry sectors both quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year. In Italy, employers report subdued hiring plans for the coming quarter, declining slightly in comparison with both the previous quarter and last year at this time. The weak Outlook is in part driven by regional differences - South/Islands employers report their weakest forecast in more than five years, while hiring plans are the strongest in nine years for the North West.