Small firms hiring more, quitting less
A small‑business jobs report says private hiring averaged about 39,250 jobs per week in March while turnover among small employers hit a nine‑year low. The piece notes that hiring increased even as employer confidence slipped below historical averages. (4cornerresources.com)
Small employers are adding workers again, even as fewer employees are leaving. ADP’s weekly payroll data showed private hiring averaging 39,250 jobs a week in the four weeks ending March 28, 2026. (4cornerresources.com) That hiring pace was up sharply from about 4,250 jobs a week in early January and about 15,250 by mid-February, according to ADP Research data cited in the report. The same analysis said employers with fewer than 50 workers accounted for nearly all private-sector job gains in both February and March. (4cornerresources.com) ADP’s monthly report, released April 1, showed private employers added 62,000 jobs in March, with small establishments posting the strongest gains. Businesses with 1 to 19 employees added 112,000 jobs, while employers with 20 to 49 employees lost 27,000. (adpemploymentreport.com) At the same time, small-employer turnover fell to 3.9% in March, the lowest level in the nine years ADP has tracked that measure. The report said overall private-employer turnover has held near 4.7% for the past three years. (4cornerresources.com) Another survey pointed in a less upbeat direction. The National Federation of Independent Business said its Small Business Optimism Index fell 3.0 points in March to 95.8, below its 52-year average of 98.0, while its Uncertainty Index rose to 92. (nfib.com) The federation’s March jobs report also showed hiring demand cooling in some corners of Main Street. Its Small Business Employment Index fell 1.9 points to 101.6, and 32% of owners said they had job openings they could not fill, down 1 point from February. (nfib.com) Small firms still make up an outsized share of the labor market. ADP Research said employers with fewer than 50 workers account for more than 40% of United States employment and 96% of all establishments, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data. (adpresearch.com) The split between hiring and confidence reflects where the pressure is landing. The National Federation of Independent Business said positive profit trends worsened in March, labor costs rose as a top problem, and 16% of owners planned capital outlays, the lowest reading since November 2009. (nfib.com) For workers, lower turnover can mean fewer openings created by quits. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said its next Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey release for March 2026 is scheduled for May 5, which will offer a broader check on whether that pattern is spreading beyond small employers. (bls.gov)
