Accounting Today (03/07/12)

A survey of chief financial officers by Robert Half International reports that staffing levels in accounting and finance are anticipated to stay fairly steady in the second quarter. The company’s Financial Hiring Index found that 91% of the 1,400 CFOs surveyed said they expect to maintain their current personnel levels in the second quarter, up from 69% at the beginning of the year. Additionally, 4% of the CFOs polled said they plan to add employees, while 5% predict staff decreases.

The CFOs surveyed are increasingly optimistic about their businesses, with 91% expressing confidence in their companies’ growth prospects in the second quarter, up four points from the first-quarter survey. “As economic signs continue to improve incrementally in the U.S., companies are hiring skilled accounting and finance professionals at a steady rate to meet demand,” says Robert Half International chairman and chief executive officer Max Messmer. “Staff reductions are trending downward as businesses seek to avoid weakening their bench strength at a time when growth opportunities are emerging.”