Employers will increase hiring for commercial and light industrial jobs in the second quarter, according to the second-quarter hiring trends survey of employers conducted by Express Employment Professionals.

Thirty-eight percent of U.S. and Canadian employers surveyed plan to hire for commercial and light industrial staff, a 7 percent increase from the first quarter. Additionally, 19 percent of respondents anticipate hiring administrative and clerical employees, up 3 percent from last quarter’s numbers.

Forty-three percent of respondents said it was, “somewhat easy to very easy” to fill new staff openings in their companies, an increase of seven percent compared to last quarter. However, 54 percent of respondents indicated that they still have some difficulty recruiting for and filling positions, up 3 percent from the last survey.

“These survey results suggest that 2013 will prove to be a strong year for employment growth in general, as well as for the staffing industry,” said Bob Funk, CEO and chairman of the board for Express Employment Professionals. “As hiring is up and the economy continues to edge toward recovery, businesses are relying more and more on staffing companies to complement their core staff.”

The survey included 566 employers across the U.S. and Canada.

Express Employment Professionals, based in Oklahoma City, ranks No. 8 on Staffing Industry Analysts’ list of largest U.S. staffing firms.