Fort Myers labor market still seasonal

Despite efforts to draw more year-round jobs to the Fort Myers area, a recent employment-outlook survey by Manpower shows the region continues to be a seasonal labor market.

In December, 27% of companies surveyed in the Fort Myers area told Manpower they planned to hire additional people in the first quarter. A more recent survey shows only 13% of companies plan to hire in the July-to-September quarter.

Typically, many businesses that rely on tourism and seasonal residents hire staff in anticipation of the population influx. Once those people leave for the summer, their staffs shrink.

The job market in the Fort Myers area now is flat because an equal number of companies (13%) plan to reduce staff and another 74% will maintain current staff through the third quarter, says Michelle Potts, managing director with Experis in Tampa, part of the ManpowerGroup.

The seasonality also coincides with the fact that employers are waiting for further signs of a recovery before investing in more people, especially if they've already hired additional staff this year. “Employers are being cautious and the majority will hold steady,” Potts says.