Sacramento Quarterly Employment Trends – 1st Quarter of 2017 Posted

New Year, New Challenges, New Fears in First Quarter

 

The first three months of the new year offer opportunity for employment and bring new
concerns for employers as political change includes some uncertainty for workforce
planning in 2017. The Sacramento employment marketplace remains robust as most
regional firms polled on hiring in Q1 continue to seek new workers to grow their
workforces.

Sixty-three percent (63%) of the top regional employers polled directly by phone are
planning to hire in Q1. Pacific Staffing discovered in direct contacts with regional
employers between 11/28/16 and 12/20/16 that forty-five percent (45%) of hiring in
January, February and March is motivated by employers expanding workforces.
Increased opportunity to find work includes demand to fill shortages of entry and
general construction labor, call center, customer service, general office and Sacramento
regional companies across the spectrum seeking delivery and route drivers.
Seasonal hiring was indicated by four percent (4%) of reported demand in Q1. Just one
firm noted a seasonal layoff in the first quarter of the new year, while thirty-seven per
cent (37%) reported no plan to hire anyone in the first three months of 2017.

Who? What? When? Where

High demand for Class A drivers continues with reported shortages of entry level and
general labor for manufacturing and construction work. Customer service, general
office/clerical, call center/tech support, sales and product assembly, warehouse and
shipping backgrounds are also sought by Sacramento employers in the first quarter of
2017.

Workforce Challenge?

Sacramento regional employers also expressed in anecdotal comments some fear that
political change would require new time and investment in changes to healthcare,
overtime and minimum wage in 2017. This after spending time and money to
implement ACA and other recent changes to workplace benefits and wages. Some
employers also expressed some frustration with retention of employees in some cases
based on concerns about wage pressure from nearby Bay Area firms.

Sacramento Regional Top Companies Polled by Industry:

  • 38% Service
  • 31% Manufacturers
  • 16% Construction
  • 15% Retail

=============Next Quarterly Projections: April 1, 2017 =================
Media contact: Rick Reed 916-704-0080/ info@rickreedpr.com