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West Michigan's labor market has the brightest outlook in the nation, according to Manpower's quarterly survey of employers.

(File photo | Mlive Media Group)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – West Michigan could become the nation's hottest job market this summer, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

The national survey said 32 percent of the employers interviewed in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming labor market said they intend to increase staffing levels during the third quarter while only 4 percent said they intended to cut back on staffing.

That “net employment outlook” of 28 percent amounts to the most optimistic labor market, according to Manpower officials. Fifty-nine percent said they intend to maintain their staffing levels while 5 percent did not know.

“Employers anticipate stronger hiring plans compared to Quarter 2 when the net employment outlook was 22 percent,” said Manpower spokesperson Jill Momber in a news release on Tuesday, June 10.

“Compared to one year ago, when the net employment outlook was 24 percent, local employers also expect a brighter hiring forecast.”

Among the nation’s most optimistic labor markets, Grand Rapids-Wyoming came out ahead of Charleston, S.C.; Dallas; Minneapolis; Raleigh, N.C.; Rochester, N.Y. and Boise, Idaho. The Grand Rapids-Wyoming labor market includes Kent, Barry, Ionia and Newaygo counties.

Labor markets with the weakest outlooks included Cape Coral, Fla.; Miami, Fla.; Akron, Ohio; Sacramento, Calif.; St. Louis and Spokane, Wash.

Manpower also reported that Michigan’s employment picture is the third best in the nation after North Dakota and Delaware.

Twenty-nine percent of the Michigan companies interviewed plan to increase hiring while 3 percent expected to cut their payrolls, yielding a net employment outlook of 26 percent. Another 65 percent expect to maintain their current staff levels and 3% are not certain of their hiring plans.



Nationwide, the survey reported 22 percent of the survey respondents expect to add to their workforces while 4 percent expect a decline during the third quarter. Seventy-one percent of employers anticipate making no change while the remaining 3 percent of employers are undecided about their hiring plans.

Jim Harger covers business for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+.