Irish workers have become increasingly downbeat about their employment prospects despite signs of global economic recovery, according to a survey published today.
The latest edition of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, an international survey of employee attitudes, found Ireland and Germany are the only two of 18 countries surveyed that show a negative employment outlook, with Ireland showing the greatest quarter-on-quarter change.
Although employment outlooks across Europe varied, most countries reported positive net employment increases.
The strongest rise in confidence was found in Britain (up 12 per cent) and Sweden (up 11 per cent). By contrast, German worker confidence fell by 8 per cent, while in Ireland the figure was down 4 per cent.
The survey incorporates 18 countries worldwide and is designed to provide a broader international view of employers' projected hiring intentions across most of the world's major economies.