Employment agency Manpower released its monthly index of demand for workers in the Israeli economy today. The index is based on help-wanted advertisements in the press.
The company reported that, in December, total demand for workers fell 6.8% in comparison with November, and by 19.1% in comparison with December 2007. In comparison with 2007 as a whole, total demand for new workers in all sectors of the economy fell by 6.2%.
Demand for workers in high tech fell 9% in December in comparison with November, and by 6.8% in comparison with 2007 as a whole.
In both cases (total demand and demand in high tech) the December figure is the lowest in annual terms since 2004.
In the fourth quarter of 2008, demand for new workers in all sectors fell by 6.3% in comparison with the third quarter, and by 11.1% in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2007. The fall in demand in the fourth quarter was the fourth quarterly decline in succession.
Demand for new workers fell in every sector in December in comparison with November. The sharpest decline was in community services, by 13%. The smallest was in healthcare and nursing, where demand for workers fell by 0.4%.
Manpower Israel CEO Orna Segal said, "December 2008 was a month in which we saw a fall in demand for workers across the board in all sectors of the economy, in contrast to previous months, in which demand in some sectors actually rose. This figure indicates slowdown in all industries, without exception."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on January 14, 2009
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