Survey Tech Firms Cutting Back on Staffing

According to a new survey by Dice Holdings, the New York-based tech career firm that runs Dice.com, 72 percent of tech companies questioned said the current economic environment has caused them to scale back hiring plans for the next six months.

That’s up from 53 percent in June. And almost half of tech companies surveyed, 48 percent, said layoffs are likely in the next six months, compared with just 32 percent in June.

“Given how tight the labor market still is for technology professionals, it is not surprising to see it ease along with the economic retrenchment,” said Tom Silver, Dice’s chief marketing officer, in a statement.

Last month, Dice reported that the number of job postings on its site fell 20 percent compared with last year.

Job cuts are also expected to affect tech salaries. Some 53 percent of hiring managers and recruiters surveyed by Dice said they expect flat salaries, and 27 percent anticipate lower salaries for new hires this year.

While the recent Dice.com survey is nationwide, New York-based tech firms have recently slashed staff. Razorfish, Microsoft’s interactive agency; Thumbplay, a mobile entertainment provider; and Heavy.com, a male-oriented entertainment site, are among the New York companies that have laid off workers in the past few months.

Filed by Amanda Fung of Crain’s New York Business, a sister publication of Workforce Management. To comment, e-mail editors@workforce.com.

Filed by Amanda Fung of Crain’s New York Business, a sister publication of Workforce Management. To comment, e-mail editors@workforce.com.

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