MORE bosses intend to hire rather than fire in the months between now and September, according to two recent surveys.

The findings by human resource consultancy Hudson and the Singapore National Employers' Federation (SNEF) suggest that some sectors intend to increase staffing levels and position themselves for an anticipated upturn.

But both surveys showed that most firms are keeping headcounts steady, some through a continued hiring freeze.

Explaining the recruitment plans among some, Hudson's Singapore country manager Gina McLellan said some companies were feeling 'more buoyant' because of early signs of economic recovery and were more willing to hire again.

Hudson, which does quarterly forecasts on prospects for white-collar workers, polled 700 executives in May. Of these, 26 per cent plan to recruit in the July to September period - up from 20 per cent in the previous months. It is the first increase in two years - since the first three months of 2007. Those polled did not say how many they would hire.

The survey found that fewer firms will shed staff between July and September. Only 14 per cent plan to do so, down from 19 per cent in the second quarter.

Ms McLellan said Government schemes such as Jobs Credit, which subsidises employers' wage bills, and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, which covers worker training, had played a part in boosting companies' confidence in sustaining their businesses.

Almost all sectors polled plan to increase hirings. But the most bullish were health care and the life sciences, both relatively unaffected by the recession.

Next came banking and financial services, which saw pay cuts and retrenchments in the downturn but which look to be on the mend 'as the volume of deals seems to be sustainable', said Hudson.

The IT and consumer sectors are also stepping up recruitment, with the latter needing to fill vacancies in new malls and the two upcoming Integrated Resorts. Still, the pick-up in hiring suggested by the surveys reflects only part of the jobs landscape. Government and labour leaders do not expect to see a let-up in the jobless rate, currently at 3.3 per cent.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.

sueann@sph.com.sg