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Hiring confidence soars this summer in Brussels

11:18 13/06/2017

Many employers in Belgium are looking to hire new employees this summer, writes De Morgen. The trend is especially marked in Brussels, where recruitment plans have reached the highest level in four years, according to a quarterly index released by human resource consulting firm ManpowerGroup.

ManpowerGroup's latest Employment Outlook Survey shows that Belgium is at level +4, which means that 6% of employers intend to recruit new staff, while 2% intend to let people go in the next three months. The remaining 92% anticipate no change in their staffing levels for the time being.

Belgian employers have been optimistic for three years, the survey shows, with an index between +1 and +6. An index above +10 has not been reached since 2011.

The survey results also show strong regional differences, with Brussels employers leading the way for summer recruitment at +7, the highest level in four years. Growth expectations are also positive in Flanders (+4), while in Wallonia there is little change (0).

Especially large and medium-sized companies offer more employment prospects, and hiring confidence is greatest in the finance and transport and logistics sectors. "Our index confirms the optimism found in other economic indicators: the Belgian economy continues to create jobs," says Manpower in a statement.

The employment survey is based on the expectations of 751 employers in Belgium. Worldwide, employment prospects are positive in 41 of the 43 countries and territories surveyed. Belgium scores nearly as well as neighbouring countries Germany (+7) and the Netherlands (+6), and better than France (+2).

Written by Robyn Boyle