Small and medium-sized businesses are putting the brakes on hiring, with fewer planning to recruit in the next quarter and more expecting to cut jobs.
That is according to a new survey by HR specialist SD Worx, which tracks the recruitment and redundancy plans of SMEs.
The poll shows a fourth consecutive decline in hiring intentions. Only one in four SMEs says it plans to take on staff in the coming quarter.
At the same time, redundancy plans are rising. Some 15% of SMEs say they expect to make layoffs.
According to the survey, pessimism among smaller businesses is increasing. Expectations for future workloads have also worsened.
