The Nov. 17ASIE-News survey looks at whether companies plan to hire or bring back workers in the first quarter 2010.

Subscribers toASI’s E-Newsletter may have noticed the addition of a weekly survey to the news features section. Here we present the results of the Nov. 17 survey.

As employers become leaner and more efficient, productivity is increasing -- this despite flat or falling wages. Do you anticipate your company will be hiring or bringing back workers in 1st quarter 2010?

Yes: 32.727%
No: 67.273%

Comments:

“General workforce to stay flat, but expect consolidation of management positions when attrition occurs.”

“I think that it will depend on the economy. If it continues to improve, then I am sure we will be hiring.”

“Two plants have become one; that is why we are hiring. There were more layoffs compared to the number of workers that will be hired.”

“Wages will not return.”

“The overall economy is still far too weak and uncertain for us to consider hiring in the near future. Jobs lost in this global recession, in our opinion, are jobs permanently lost.”

“We anticipate fewer workers in 2010 vs. 2009 despite improving business.”

“We've started recalling workers and hiring some temps. But this practice is limited.”

“We will not be hiring the first quarter, but we will be raising our employees’ wages so they might enjoy some of the benefits of the increases in productivity that they were involved in. Needless to say, this is a non-union company; we operate as a `family’ and share both good and bad times together.”