What Recession? Survey Shows Half of US Companies Preparing to Cut Jobs

Companies across the country are planning to scale back their headcounts after a year of frenzied hiring.

That’s according to a new survey published on Thursday by consultant PwC, which last month polled more than 700 U.S. executives and board members from various industries. About half of respondents said they are preparing to reduce headcount — or already have — while 52% have implemented hiring freezes.

On top of that, roughly 46% of companies are either dropping or reducing signing bonuses, which became commonplace over the past year as businesses tried to lure in new workers amid an increasingly tight labor market. Another 44% are rescinding offers entirely, the survey showed.