Small businesses across the country may be experiencing relief from hiring woes, as the CBIZ Small Business Employment Index reported a seasonally adjusted increase of 0.17% in February. Despite high interest rates, the U.S. economy remains strong and small businesses have been steadily expanding their workforce during the month of February, according to Anna Rathbun, chief investment officer of CBIZ.
The CBIZ index monitors hiring trends among thousands of companies with 300 or fewer employees nationwide, and has shown that while some industries have experienced better hiring results than others, overall employment growth is positive in most regions. In February, 20% of companies in the index increased their staff, while 60% maintained their current headcounts and 20% decreased their staff numbers during the same period.
The West, Southeast, and Central regions saw slight increases in hiring, while the Northeast region saw a slight decline in employment growth. Sectors such as administrative and support services, arts, entertainment and recreation, as well as technology and life sciences reported hiring gains, while industries like accommodation and food services, insurance, and utilities experienced decreases.
These trends in the small business sector are reflective of the broader market, as U.S. employers added 275,000 jobs in February