The September 2016 Small Business Employment Index (SBEI) found that 25.7% of small businesses increased staffing, 26.2% decreased staffing, and 48.1% made no changes. A CBIZ representative noted that small business owners have paused hiring due to uncertainty around the election, allowing natural attrition to reduce costs. The SBEI showed small monthly declines in employment over the past three months and regional variations in staffing changes.

1. WWW.CBIZ.COM
SMALL BUSINESS
EMPLOYMENT INDEX
SEPTEMBER 2016
25.7% of companies in the SBEI increased staff, 48.1% made no changes
and 26.2% decreased employee totals.
“There’s little doubt that small business owners have hit the pause button on hiring as the rhetoric and
tumultuous election cycle have left many dissecting tweets and headlines to figure out where the candidates
stand on the issues that will affect them. Three months of small declines in employment count demonstrate a
willingness among employers to allow natural attrition to reduce labor costs in advance of greater clarity from
the election itself.”
–Philip Noftsinger, President of CBIZ Employee Services Organization
TRENDING BY REGION
INCREASED DECREASED NO CHANGE
1.38%
0.20% 0.90%
-0.28%
-0.82%
-0.23%
6 MONTH OVERVIEW
APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP
SEPTEMBER AT A GLANCE
48.1%
NO
CHANGE
25.7%
INCREASED
STAFFING
26.2%
DECREASED
STAFFING
TRENDING BY INDUSTRY
INCREASED DECREASED NO CHANGE
ARTS &
ENTERTAINMENT
EDUCATIONAGRICULTURE RETAIL
TRADE
INSURANCECONSTRUCTION RENTAL &
LEASING
NON-PROFITSTRANSPORTATION
0.29%
-0.20%
0.22%
-1.78%