A September survey of executives from large firms by the Business Roundtable found 13% expected to increase employment in the next six months, an improvement from 6% a quarter earlier. But 40% planned to cut payrolls.
Some companies are moving from mass layoffs to a mix of hiring and firing. Boeing Co., the Chicago-based aircraft maker, is carrying out 10,000 planned layoffs. But it announced last week it also is building a new factory in North Charleston, S.C., where it could employ as many as 3,800 workers assembling 787 Dreamliner airplanes. But the plant won’t open before July 2011.
Airlines too eport glimmers of evidence the plunge in passenger demand is over. But executives have said they see few signs travelers are coming back or are willing to pay more for tickets. So the airlines are continuing to trim jobs and drop money-losing routes, which means fewer jobs.
The months ahead could lead to a turbulent reshuffling of the work force from sectors that are still contracting, such as airlines and manufacturing, into growth sectors such as technology.