EMPLOYMENT TRENDS

What Was Measured?
• The percent of work force concentrated in San Mateo County's largest 10 employers was measured for 1995.
• The number of businesses with under 100 employees was measured in San Mateo County.
• Also measured was the change in total number of jobs in all industries in San Mateo County between 1990 and 1995.

Why Are These Important?
Diversity of employment is an important component of sustainability. When a community is dependent on a few large industries or companies for economic sustenance, it becomes vulnerable to sudden market changes, including cyclical downturns and massive layoffs. Thus, having a large number of small and medium sized businesses, widely distributed over several industries, is important for maintaining a diverse and strong economic base.  Also important in determining the long, term economic sustainability are the types of industries projecting the highest job growth.  For instance, many jobs in the service sector are less secure and provide poorer benefits than those jobs in traditional and manufacturing industries.

What Was Found?

"In the jargon of the business world, the economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment." Timothy E. Wirth Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs. "The Human Factor, " article in Sierra, September/October 1995

• During 1995, 11 percent of all jobs in San Mateo County were concentrated in the ten largest employers.  The total number of jobs in San Mateo County (used to derive this percentage) was 380,720.  United Airlines employed the greatest number of people, with 17,212 full time equivalency positions as of October 1995.

• 82 percent of businesses in March 1996 recorded in the San Mateo Commerce Directory have fewer than 100 employees.

What Is The Trend?
Within San Mateo County, the industries showing the largest growth since 1990 are Business Services, Services, and Transportation, Communication, Utilities.  The service industry has, by far, the highest number of jobs and job growth in the county.

Source: Projections '94, Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG); Peninsula Economic Report, San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA), County Business Patterns, MTC-ABAG Library; Report 524-Insured Employment by Employment Size of Reporting Unit, Employment Development Department; 1995 San Mateo County Commerce Directory, SAMCEDA

Researcher: Carla Bagneschi