TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 1, 2016) -

Editors Note: There is a graph associated with this release.

Express Employment Professionals released new results today from a survey of businesses on the state of the job market, revealing a majority of small and medium-sized businesses believe wages will be stagnant over the short-term.

Respondents were asked whether they expect wages in their respective markets to increase, decrease or stay the same over the next three months. The majority predict short-term wage stagnation: 61 percent expect wages to stay the same, but more than a third or 38 percent expect an increase. Only two percent expect wages to decrease.

When asked about the "current employment environment in your market," 68 percent of companies surveyed responded that it was "trending up," compared to 32 percent who said it was "trending down."

Businesses were also asked if they foresee a recession in the near future. Overwhelmingly, 94 percent of businesses surveyed don't foresee a nationwide recession in the next three months.

Eighty percent of businesses surveyed don't foresee a recession in three to six months, while 69 percent don't foresee a recession in six months to a year. Seventy percent indicated no recession in a year. Additionally, 65 percent of business owners don't expect a recession in two years, however, 35% anticipate a recession in two years.

"These survey results are a mixed bag. Many companies are cautiously optimistic but still have some hesitation about the strength of the economy in the near future," said Bob Funk, CEO of Express.

"It's good news for employees that wages are not declining, but we would rather see them rising than flat-lining. The tight labor market continues to put pressure on the need for wage increases but employers are reluctant to increase pay given the uncertainties about the strength of the economy," Funk said.

"And while most businesses don't predict a recession in the next near future, it's troubling that many companies foresee a recession in two years. Of course, we would all prefer to see an even more positive outlook after this slow recovery but that won't happen until government eases up on regulatory change for businesses."

The survey of 390 businesses in the United States and Canada that are current and former clients of Express Employment Professionals was conducted in the first quarter of 2016.

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bob Funk to discuss this topic, please contact Kellie Major at (613) 222-7488.

About Robert A. Funk

Robert A. "Bob" Funk is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Under his leadership, Express has put more than 6 million people to work worldwide. Funk served as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and was also the Chairman of the Conference of Chairmen of the Federal Reserve.

About Express Employment Professionals and Express in Canada

Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated $3.02 billion in sales and employed a record 500,002 people in 2015. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually. Express launched in Canada in July 1996, with a franchise in London, Ontario, and since then, has expanded and grown across Canada significantly. There are currently 37 Express franchises in Canada - six in British Columbia, five in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, 23 in Ontario, and one in Nova Scotia.

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