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Kelly Services Reports First-Quarter 2012 Results

Kelly Services News Release (05/09/12)

Kelly Services Inc. today announced results for the first quarter of 2012. Revenue totaled $1.4 billion, a 1% increase compared with the corresponding quarter in 2011. “We are pleased to report solid quarterly performance in spite of the economic challenges that continue to test the sustainability of this recovery,” says Kelly Services president and chief executive officer Carl T. Camden. “By staying focused on our strategy, we were able to leverage a leaner cost structure, improve our gross profit rate, and increase earnings.” Earnings from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2012 totaled $9.2 million, compared with $1.1 million reported for the first quarter of 2011.

CIBER Reports First-Quarter 2012 Results

CIBER News Release (05/08/12)

CIBER Inc. has reported revenue of $241 million for the first quarter of 2012, a 5% decrease (down 4% in constant currency). Sequentially from the fourth quarter of 2011, revenue grew 1% (2% in constant currency). Net income from continuing operations for the first quarter was $0.8 million. Last year’s first quarter net income from continuing operations was $3.3 million. The North American division, 49% of consolidated revenue, saw revenue decline 11% compared with 2011’s first quarter. Sequentially, revenue growth was up slightly from the fourth quarter 2011.

Job Vacancies Rise, but Hiring Rate Stays Flat

Wall Street Journal (05/08/12) Josh Mitchell; Jeffrey Sparshott

The U.S. Department of Labor says job vacancies rose 5% from February to 3.74 million in March, marking the highest level since July 2008. Workers in construction and manufacturing are most in demand. However, hiring was flat, which some economists attribute to the difficulty of finding workers with the appropriate skills.

Purchasing Managers See More Revenue, Hiring in 2012

Wall Street Journal (05/08/12) Kathleen Madigan

The Institute for Supply Management’s semiannual survey shows that increases in revenues and jobs are anticipated by purchasing managers in the factory and nonmanufacturing sectors for the remainder of the year, with the slowdown in job growth in March and April thought to be only temporary. The survey shows an expected 1.4% rise in factory employment and a 1.9% increase in nonmanufacturing payrolls for the rest of the year.

Atterro Completes Purchase of Eastridge’s Houston Operations

PRWeb (05/08/12)

The Atterro Human Capital Group and its Pro Staff division have announced the purchase of the Eastridge Group of Staffing Companies’ Houston operation. The Houston branch of Eastridge specializes in providing customized staffing solutions for the manufacturing, assembly, and distribution industries, including creating on-site staffing programs.

Non-Union Workers’ Pay Rose More Than That of Union Workers, but Non-Union Workers Lag in Benefit Increases

Lexology (04/30/12)

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says average hourly pay edged up 2.8% for non-union workers and 0.8% for union workers last year, and union workers’ average hourly wage of $22.86 is $3.56 less than non-union workers’ wage. However, the amount spent per worker on employer-provided benefits was just $7.74 for non-union workers compared with $15.19 for union workers.

Free ASAPro Webinars—Selling to Price-Conscious Buyers and Dominating Your Niche

With clients that are more demanding and less loyal, how can you keep and even increase your profits? Find out tomorrow, May 10, from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern time, during the ASAPro Webinar “Sell Profitably to a Price-Conscious Buyer.” This one-hour Webinar is designed to help you set your firm apart, teach you to defuse rate and budget objections, and more.

And Tuesday, May 15, don’t miss the ASAPro Webinar “Dominate Your Niche—Become a True Market Specialist.” Presented by the ASA search and placement section, this Webinar is for staffing professionals who want to refine niche-focused recruiting skills to demonstrate why clients should partner with their firm. ASA sections are sponsored by RCS Services.

All ASAPro Webinars are free for ASA members. Register online at americanstaffing.net.

Staffing World® 2012 Early Registration Deadline Next Week

Staffing World 2012, Oct. 9–11 in Las Vegas, is the can’t-miss event of the year.

Next Friday, May 18, is the very last opportunity you have to save up to $400 per person when you register for the ASA annual convention headlined by highly acclaimed author and business strategist, Jim Collins.

With nearly 40 premier executive education sessions, don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the best and network with your peers.

Visit staffingworld.org to register and learn more.

The Accident Investigation: A Study in Prevention

Lexology (04/23/12)

Companies should investigate why accidents occur and determine ways to keep them from happening in the future. Before any internal investigation, a company must ensure the incident location is not disturbed, except to perform first aid and to prevent further injuries. Once the scene is secured and the proper authorities are notified, immediately conduct the internal investigation. The company must then act on what it learned. Failure to act could expose workers to possible hazards and expose the company to possible citations and fines.

Conducting the investigation is a team effort that should include a basic investigation team that can respond immediately and effectively should an accident occur. The team should include a leader, experts, and document control personnel, among other personnel.

IT Employees: Engaged, Committed, but Likely to Consider Leaving

Randstad Technologies News Release (05/08/12)

A study by Randstad Technologies and Technisource, a Randstad company, shows information technology employees tend to be engaged at work and loyal to their organizations, yet over half (53%) plan to explore other employment options when the job market improves. Findings from the latest Randstad Engagement Index show that IT workers display more volatility than other employees when it comes to their intentions to leave their current jobs.

“With engagement remaining steady and strong for IT workers, employers need to be sure they do not take their employees for granted. Companies should be aware of potential turnover even among their most engaged and top performing employees, especially as more jobs in the industry continue to open up and the market becomes increasingly competitive,” said Bob Dickey, executive vice president of technologies at Randstad U.S., Professionals.

The Best Cities for Finding Employment Right Now

Forbes (05/08/12) Jacquelyn Smith

Adecco Staffing U.S. has compiled a list of the best cities to find employment currently. The Washington, DC, metro region tops the list, followed by the Austin, TX, metro region, and Ithaca, NY. “With all these cities having unemployment rates below the national average, it certainly shows that a job seeker doesn’t need to live in one of the U.S.’s top large cities to find job opportunities,” says Janette Marx, a senior vice president at Adecco Staffing. “From a national perspective, those Americans with a college degree that are looking for work are at a higher advantage, particularly in the sectors we’re seeing demand in.”

No Personal Calls on the Job? No Thanks

Wall Street Journal (05/08/12) Lauren Weber

Nearly a quarter of new college graduates said they wouldn’t take a job where they couldn’t make personal phone calls, according to a study from Adecco Group North America. A third said they likely would stay at any one job for three years or less. Ninety-one percent said they would leave an unsatisfying job within a year. “With social media, this generation can see everything their peers are doing. So they feel like they have to move more often to keep up with where their friends and classmates are,” says Janette Marx, senior vice president of Adecco Group North America.

Seventy-four percent of those surveyed are looking for good health benefits, followed by job security (73%), opportunities for growth and development (68%), work and life flexibility (66%), and a high salary (61%).

Working Moms Taking Less Maternity Leave, CareerBuilder’s Annual Mother’s Day Survey Finds

MarketWatch (05/09/12)

The struggle to balance career and family starts in the earliest stages of parenthood, according to ASA corporate partner CareerBuilder’s annual study of working moms. One-in-four (26%) working moms who have had a child in the last three years reported they did not take the full maternity leave allowed by their company. One in 10 took two weeks or less.

Competitive work environments and demanding positions may be causing more women to reduce their time off from work after delivery. Almost half of working moms who’ve had a child in the past three years (44%) reported taking more than eight weeks of maternity leave, but 12% said they took two weeks or less. Forty percent were off work for six weeks or less.