MIAMI FL -- The just-released Miami/Fort Lauderdale Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Halfindicates 17 percent of Miami chief financial officers (CFOs) expect their companies to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 65 percent plan to hire for open roles, compared to 60 percent in the previous six months.
CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time, professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:
| Sept. 2014 – Feb. 2015 | March – Aug. 2015* | |
| Expanding – adding new positions | 23% | 17% |
| Maintaining – only filling vacated positions | 60% | 65% |
| Freezing – not filling vacated positions or creating new ones | 11% | 13% |
| Reducing – eliminating positions | 5% | 5% |
| Don't know/no answer | 1% | 1% |
*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.
"South Florida businesses are strategically adding staff to address customer demand and remain optimistic about their future growth," said Ryan Skubis, district president for Robert Half in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area. "This active hiring and contracting unemployment are shifting the pendulum in favor of job seekers and creating a challenging hiring environment for companies seeking skilled professionals."
He added, "The most in-demand candidates, including staff and senior accountants, financial analysts and systems administrators, typically receive multiple job offers and are hired quickly in the current market."
Recruiting Challenges
Organizations looking to add staff may face difficulties, Robert Half's research shows. Sixty-eight percent of Miami/Fort Lauderdale CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today.
Staffing issues remain a concern for companies. In a study by Protiviti and the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Initiative at theNorth Carolina State University Poole College of Management, board members and senior executives cited the ability to attract and retain top talent as one of the top risks facing their businesses. The majority of respondents, 56 percent, felt it had a significant impact on their organizations.
Business Confidence
According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Miami/Fort Lauderdale CFOs are optimistic about their companies' growth.Ninety-four percent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the next six months.
About the Professional Employment Forecast
The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm, and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees, for example, staff in the accounting, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology fields.
About Robert Half
Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company has more than 340 staffing locations worldwide and offers online job search and management tools at roberthalf.com. For career and management advice, follow our blog at blog.roberthalf.com.
Robert Half is also the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm.
