12 March 2019

2019- n° 61

In Q4 2018, payroll employment accelerated slightly in the private business sector and remained almost stable in public service Payroll employment - fourth quarter 2018

In Q4 2018, net payroll job creation reached 53,600, that is an increase of +0.2% after +0.1% in the previous quarter. Almost stable in the public sector (+2,800 jobs after −3,000 jobs), payroll employment increased more significantly in the private sector (+50,700 jobs after +32,200 jobs). Year on year, it rose by 149,600 net jobs (+0.6%): +160,300 jobs in the private sector and −10,700 jobs in the public service.

In Q4 2018, payroll employment increased by +6,500 jobs in industry (that is +0.2%, after 0.0%). Over a year it increased by 9,500 jobs (that is +0.3%).

The growth of payroll employment in construction remained solid : +6,300 (that is +0.5%), after +5,700 in the previous quarter (that is +0.4%). Year on year, the increase reached +25,600 jobs (that is +1.9%).

In Q4 2018, payroll employment increased by 32,700 in market services, that is +0.3%, after +0.2% in the previous quarter. Year on year, the market service sector as a whole supported the large majority of net jobs creations of payroll employment (+114,500 jobs).

However, the decline in temporary employment continued: −12,200 jobs in Q4 2018, i.e. −1.5% after −0.9% in Q3 2018. Over a year, it decreased sharply: −27,100, that is −3.3%. On the contrary, employment in services excluding temporary work increased steadily again in Q4 2018: +44,900 jobs (i.e. +0.4 %, after +0.3%). Over a year, the market service sector excluding temporary work expanded by 141,600 jobs (+1.2%).

Employment in mainly non-market services increased again in Q4 2018: +7,300 jobs, after −1,700 jobs in the previous quarter. This slight upturn was due to the public service on the one hand (+2,400 jobs after −3,300 jobs) and from the private sector on the other hand (+4,900 jobs after +1,600 jobs). Over a year, employment in mainly non-market services decreased by 5,700 of which −11,800 in public service.

Compared to the employment estimate published on 11december 2018, net job creation of Q3 2018 has been revised upwards by 14,100, especiallyin services, both market and non-market.

Compared to the flash estimate focused on the private sector published on 8february 2019, net job creation in Q4 2018 has been revised upwards by 34,500, especially due to the market services excluding temporary work and the industry.