PRINCETON, N.J., May 29 (UPI) — Researchers at survey firm Gallup said hiring among small U.S. businesses remained consistent over the past year at a net negative level.
In a survey of 603 small business owners conducted April 1-5, Gallup said 11 percent indicated their company had added workers within the past 12 months, while 23 percent indicated they had dropped workers over the past year.
That left the hiring index for small businesses at minus 12 in April, which is “on par with minus 10 in January and minus nine in April 2012,” Gallup said in a report released Tuesday.
Hiring intentions for the future came out with a slightly improved measure. When business owners were asked if they intended to hire or drop workers in the next 12 months, 20 percent indicated they expected to hire, while 14 percent indicated they would let some workers go, Gallup said.
That left the hiring expectations index among small business owners at plus six, Gallup said.
Despite the surge on Wall Street, hiring intentions among small-business-owners “remains anemic,” Gallup said.
Gallup said the results of the survey include a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.
For purposes of the survey, Gallup defines a small business as one with $20 million or less in sales or revenue per year.
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