Last month American Society of Employers released the results to its 2016 Quarterly Economic & Employment Survey for the fourth quarter of 2016.  A close look at the data suggests strong improvements in the business outlook among employers in the Manufacturing and Goods Producing sector.  Thirty-seven percent of employers in that sector reported that their organization’s future (i.e., 6 to 12 months) business outlook had improved moderately or significantly.  Compared to the previous quarter, that is a 12% improvement.

According to Mary Corrado, President & CEO of the American Society of Employers, “It is likely that the improvements seen in the data are driven in part based on expectations about what   Trump administration pro-business policies will mean for the economy and employers specifically.”  The data for the survey was collected just prior to the inauguration.

Michigan employers have a slightly more improved business outlook compared to the previous year.

Highlights:

·       Overall, the percentage of Michigan employers who believe that their business outlook has improved or has not changed compared to the previous 6 months remains consistent at 85% but with a 5% increase from the fourth quarter of 2015 in organizations whose outlook improved significantly.

·       Compared to the 4^th quarter last year the percentage of employers who expect hiring levels to remain the same over the next six months increased by 7% while employers who are planning to increase their hiring over the next six months has decreased by 9%.

·       Job performance as a reason for involuntary separations is down 9% from the 3^rd quarter of 2016 and more consistent to what it was in the 4^th quarter of 2015.  

·       Personal reasons as a reason for voluntary separations decreased 12% from the 3^rd quarter of 2016.

·       When it comes to involuntary reasons for turnover, job performance saw a 12% jump from 2015 while violation of workplace policies dropped 17%.

·       For reasons given for voluntary separations, retirement also saw a 17% decrease from 2015.

To obtain copies of ASE’s 2016 Quarterly Economic & Employment Survey – 4th Quarter, members should visit their Dashboard on the ASE website. These surveys are available free of charge to ASE members and for $525 to non-members.

As we move into a new year of this survey, we are open to changes and would like your input. Please click here to take a short 5 minute survey to help us determine which sections you find useful on a quarterly basis and which ones could perhaps be reported semi-annually or even annually.  We appreciate your input.