Recession Still Mires San Diego, Surveys Say : Employment: Little job turnover, few available jobs and doubts by workers and employers about the future are reported.

Politicians are still debating whether the economic turnaround has occurred, but two recent surveys indicate that San Diego employers and employees still hold strong doubts about the future.

Employee turnover at local high-technology companies dipped to a record low during 1991, according to results of a survey conducted by the Compensation Practices Assn. of San Diego County. The 10% turnover rate was the lowest in the 13 years that the group has compiled data, association founder Bruce Ferris said Monday.

The low turnover during 1991 was driven largely by the stalled economy, which has reduced employee mobility, Ferris said.

“When work is slow, there are not a lot of jobs available, so you’re stuck where you are,” Ferris said. “If you have 10 years of service at a company and you’re thinking about starting over again (elsewhere), you’re going to be a little reluctant to do it because, when it comes to layoffs, it’s usually last in, first out.”

In a related development, a survey released Monday by Manpower Inc. suggested that most firms don’t intend to add employees during the spring months. Hiring gains during the second quarter will surpass work-force reductions by a small margin, according to Manpower’s survey results. Just 12% of respondents indicated that they would be hiring during the second quarter, and 9% said they intend to cut employees.

Although 79% of respondents said they would make no adjustments to their labor pool during the second quarter, Manpower spokesman Phil Blair described the survey results as “really encouraging.” Blair based his optimism on the fact that, a year ago, 5% of local firms planned to hire new employees, and 17% were planning cuts.

“People are less pessimistic, which translates into more optimism,” Blair said. However, Blair said last year’s relatively bleak outlook was prompted by fears about a lengthy war with Iraq.

Manpower’s San Diego County survey results generally mirrored national survey results, Blair said. Nationwide, 21% of respondents indicated they would add employees. Just just 10% said they would lay off employees.

Similarly, the low turnover rate in San Diego “is something you’d find any place,” Ferris said.

Low turnover might be making it more difficult for local employers to hire qualified people, Ferris said. “If (a hire) is critical to getting product out the back door, you might have to start throwing money at people to get them to move,” Ferris said. “Again, the tendency is to stay where you are.”

Blair said the Manpower survey “shows that things might be bottoming out . . . things are starting to come back.”

San Diego County Job Turnover Rate 1991: 10.0% 1990: 13.8% 1989: 16.0% 1988: 15.6% 1987: 15.1% 1986: 15.3% 1985: 16.8% 1984: 15.1% 1983: 14.0% 1982: 15.7% 1981: 21.8% 1980: 23.4% 1979: 27.9% Source: Compensation Practices Assn. of San Diego County