California Business Minute™

The California Employee Confidence Index decreased 4.6 points to 41.5 in October,
according to the latest Spherion(R) Employment Report. The monthly survey of
California workers, conducted by Harris Interactive(R) on behalf of Spherion Corporation,
 indicates that although more workers believe fewer jobs are available and the economy
is getting weaker, the majority of workers remained confident in the future of their current
employer.

Results from the California Employment Report:

-- Twenty-five percent of workers are not confident in their ability to find a new job compared
   to 18 percent in September.
-- Seventy-three percent of workers believe the economy is getting weaker, representing a
   six percentage-point increase from the previous month.
-- Nearly three-fourths (74 percent) of workers believe there are fewer jobs available versus
   66 percent in September.
-- Close to two thirds (64 percent) of workers are confident in the future of their current employer
   compared to 65 percent the previous month.

"With California's unemployment rate remaining slightly above the national unemployment rate,
it is not surprising to see the decline in this month's Index," explained Lauren Steel, territory vice
president for Spherion. "While our survey revealed that California workers are feeling less confident
in the economy, it also indicated that the majority of these workers remain confident in the future
of their current employer. During times of economic uncertainty, employers should continue to be
aware of the concerns of their employee population and take necessary measures to boost
workplace morale. Employers who do so will likely have a strategic advantage in terms of retention
and recruitment when the economy begins to turn around."