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63 Percent of Small Businesses SMBs Have Put Hiring on Hold

Please consider Hiring Freeze Breaks New Record.

Based on the latest data from U.S. small businesses (SMBs), the demand for labor has declined again, with nearly two out of every three (63%) putting their hiring on hold because they can’t afford to add staff, and 10% of that group is laying off workers.

This decline is quite significant, as it’s 18% higher than it was in July (at just 45%). Beyond that, the percentage reducing their staff jumped 6% to 10% this month from just 4% in July.

These are two key findings from Alignable’s September Hiring Report, released today. These insights are based on a poll of 5,618 small business employers from Aug. 13, 2022, through Sept. 6, 2022.

Examining labor costs alone, 58% of poll participants said labor costs are at least 50% higher than they were prior to COVID. Of those employers.

Nearly half (49%) of those in a hiring freeze now said they were hiring earlier this year, but shifted gears due to economic factors, including general inflation, labor costs, and fears of a recession.

By Sector

Housing is hardly surprising. But even restaurants and travel businesses are now impacted.

By state, 75% of New York SMBs are halting hiring, 74% in Ohio, and 68% in Pennsylvania.

In a Recession?

Some 66% of them say we’re in a recession for sure with 28% adding it feels more like a “Depression.”

And they’re 9% more pessimistic about the economy than the average U.S. SMB, as 57% of them think we’re in a recession.

In Canada, 69% saying they’re not expanding the number of employees. 

Increasingly Likely That Alleged Job Strength is a Mirage of Part Time Second Jobs

The Alignable data will turn up in payroll data soon enough, assuming it hasn’t already.

It’s Increasingly Likely That Alleged Job Strength is a Mirage of Part Time Second Jobs

March to August Change 

  • Full Time: -383,000
  • Part Time: +335,000
  • Sum of Full and Part Time: -48,000
  • Nonfarm Payrolls: +1,888,000

March to August Key Points

The economy added 1,888,000 jobs while full time employment declined by 383,000 and total employment (as measured by sum of full and part time) was down by 48,000.

The total discrepancy between the trends is 1,888,000 + 48,000 = 1,936,000

The household survey seems much more believable than the raw nonfarm payroll numbers.

This post originated at MishTalk.Com

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27 Comments
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Oldest Most Voted
Six000mileyear
Six000mileyear
3 years ago
I try to find something positive from this data, such as those industries (gyms, beauty, restaurant, travel) hit hardest by COVID closure have the least hiring put on hold. Unfortunately over half of those businesses are putting hiring on hold.
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
3 years ago
Just as I expected re Putin situation:
(Bloomberg) — In the almost 1,000 days since Xi Jinping last ventured abroad, China has found itself increasingly isolated within the US-led world order. He’s finally reemerging this week alongside Russia’s Vladimir Putin to showcase his vision for a viable alternative
Billy
Billy
3 years ago
Reply to  Tony Bennett
China, Russia, India, and the other BRICS are pushing hard for a new world currency. One possibly backed by gold. I hope it’s proven to be backed by gold unlike derivatives and ETFs.
Maximus_Minimus
Maximus_Minimus
3 years ago
Reply to  Billy
Gold is a historic relic – until the system is taken over by charlatans, then it becomes the base of the sound financial system.
JackWebb
JackWebb
3 years ago
Reply to  Billy
The only ways that will work would be if a) the U.S. hyperinflates, which I really don’t think will happen, or b) the BRICs get off of the mercentalist export train and develop much stronger internal markets. Door #2 (b) is far more likely, but it still won’t be enough. They’ll also need credible legal and financial systems.
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
3 years ago
BLS releases a real earnings report in conjunction with cpi.
REAL EARNINGS * AUGUST 2022

All employees

Real average hourly earnings for all employees increased 0.2 percent from July to August, seasonally
adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This result stems from an increase of 0.3
percent in average hourly earnings combined with an increase of 0.1 percent in the Consumer Price
Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

Real average weekly earnings decreased 0.1 percent over the month due to the change in real average
hourly earnings combined with a 0.3-percent decrease in the average workweek.

Real average hourly earnings decreased 2.8 percent, seasonally adjusted, from August 2021 to August
2022. The change in real average hourly earnings combined with a decrease of 0.6 percent in the
average workweek resulted in a 3.4-percent decrease in real average weekly earnings over this period.

Doug78
Doug78
3 years ago
Quiet quitting will be replaced by active firing. Many of those who didn’t want to go back to the office will find that the office doesn’t want them back.
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
3 years ago
Reply to  Doug78
Yes.
Business is Business.
Profit driven. Not social services provider. Recent hires performing “quiet quitting” will be oh so easily let go.
MPO45
MPO45
3 years ago
Reply to  Doug78
Some companies have announced 100% remote work: Cisco and AirBnB come to mind. Guess what will happen…companies that fire employees will swarm to those that offer remote work. The “remote work” companies will attract AND retain the best talent while others will struggle to get workers they let go back.
It is a precarious situation, I know because the firm I work for was threatening bringing people back to the office and people started resigning and moving to companies offering remote work.
Two business models will emerge – those companies that spend billions on office real estate and those that don’t. Which one do you think will be more profitable in the long term? It’s really no different than Amazon vs Brick and Mortar. We all know who is winning that war.
Doug78
Doug78
3 years ago
Reply to  MPO45
If by chance your firm has to reduce its headcount which people would they tend to keep? Would they keep those who came back to the office or those who refused?
In my long career I have often seen people who thought they were essential learn that they were not. You may be the exception or maybe not.
Lisa_Hooker
Lisa_Hooker
3 years ago
Reply to  Doug78
Gee, would they keep the work-at-home that’s measurably productive?
Or, would they keep the one that came back to the office but didn’t want to?
Doug78
Doug78
3 years ago
Reply to  Lisa_Hooker
It all depends if they think the worker is worth it obviously. The worker’s evaluation of his work may not be the same as his employer’s. If the worker is correct that his employer needs him no matter what (and there are some) then he can use this to force the employer to let him work at home. Nevertheless that will be remembered and probably resented leading the employer to look for a replacement down the road. Let me ask you. Does your company have a Key Man Insurance policy on you?
Lisa_Hooker
Lisa_Hooker
3 years ago
Reply to  Doug78
It was part of the employment contract my attorney negotiated.
Doug78
Doug78
3 years ago
Reply to  Lisa_Hooker
Good. Now you can get wacked in the parking lot of your favorite café. They didn’t ask me. They just informed me that now if I die the company gets a bunch of money and I figured out that as long as I make more money for the company than the size of the insurance payout I was safe.
Captain Ahab
Captain Ahab
3 years ago
Thanks mostly to China, from 2020 to 2022, we have the LOST YEARS. Looking at Mish’s employment chart, I’d say there were no gains of real consequence; not just wrt employment, there was no growth in production. ‘Luckily’, there was almost no increase in population. I suspect national malaise and lower productivity will continue to plague, along with the after effects of three years of lost education. There WILL BE a net reduction of living standard made worse by inflation. Add in Biden’s exciting new approach: ‘let’s work together to get the US going, we can be certain it will only get worse.
It remains to be seen if the generations coming after baby boomers can do more than use Twitter and Instagram..
8dots
8dots
3 years ago
Being bullish/ bearish at all cost is good for FOX/CNN, bad for investing. Looking at analogs, other samples, from previous “events”
indicate that June low might be breached. The Dow might land somewhere between Jan 2018 high and Feb 2020 high. Might/ might not, for fun and entertainment only in the stock market casino. Blaming the gov, the Fed don’t matter. What matter is an opportunity to buy at the low
JackWebb
JackWebb
3 years ago
Mish, you will note that I have said more than once that those help wanted signs will come down fast.
Mish
Mish
3 years ago
Reply to  JackWebb
Yep and I said the same thing
But before there are big layoffs there will be a lot of help wanted signs down.
JackWebb
JackWebb
3 years ago
Reply to  Mish
There really isn’t as much difference between those two as it might seem, the BLS methodology notwithstanding. Everyone will see.
Captain Ahab
Captain Ahab
3 years ago
Reply to  JackWebb
This struck me especially: “…58% of poll participants said labor costs are at least 50% higher than they were prior to COVID…”
Some of the increase in labor cost is demand/supply driven, but how much? How much is inflation moving into the wage structure? as I see it, it was wage inflation embedded in contracts that made 1980-1 particularly nasty for the private sector. This time around??
Lisa_Hooker
Lisa_Hooker
3 years ago
Reply to  Captain Ahab
Right on Captain. It was the union COLA clauses in contracts negotiated from the mid 70’s in addition to the oil issues that brought in the inflation. The oil adjusted quickly. The COLAs just kept ratcheting up every year.
JackWebb
JackWebb
3 years ago
Reply to  Mish
Good call! Now don’t get a swell head. Trust me, you’re never as smart as you think you are, or as dumb as your fear you are. LOL
MPO45
MPO45
3 years ago
I don’t think SMB’s have much of a choice, the labor just isn’t there because big corporations with deep pockets vacuum up the desirable labor and leave the dregs for SMBs.
As for Canada, guess what is causing the labor shortage there ….surprise same thing as U.S.
JackWebb
JackWebb
3 years ago
Reply to  MPO45
Any “labor shortages” will be in the rear view mirror quite soon.

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