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61% Say Recession Prep Is Pulling Focus from Company’s Long-Term Future
By Express Employment Professionals
With 80% of U.S. hiring managers bracing for a recession, nearly half expecting it within the next year, businesses aren’t waiting to feel the impact. They’re already shifting gears, scaling back hiring, rewriting long-term plans and making tough choices between protecting today and investing in tomorrow.
This is according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.
The data paints a picture of cautious optimism clouded by economic anxiety:
- 94% say a recession would impact their organization, and 60% anticipate a major or moderate effect.
- 57% report having to overhaul strategic plans since the beginning of the year. This includes 65% of blue-collar and 54% of white-collar employers.
Despite these concerns, many employers still see opportunities:
- 78% believe their company will be in a better economic position by year’s end.
- 58% view a potential recession as more of a growth opportunity than a threat.
Still, the looming threat is already influencing hiring decisions. More than a third of companies (35%) say they would reduce hiring if a recession occurs, up from 30% in the spring of 2022, and 17% would freeze hiring altogether. In anticipation, 83% of employers have taken proactive steps to prepare, including:
- Cutting unnecessary expenses (45%)
- Streamlining processes (29%)
- Cross-training employees (26%)
- Not filling vacated roles (23%)
- Conducting layoffs (19%)
These actions align with projections from the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates that a moderate recession could raise unemployment from 4.2% to as high as 7.5%, potentially resulting in up to 5 million job losses.
However, the cost of preparation is not just financial; it’s strategic. Many companies are already feeling the strain:
- 61% say recession planning has taken time away from efforts to improve their organization’s long-term future.
- 57% report having to overhaul strategic plans since the beginning of the year. This includes 65% of blue-collar and 54% of white-collar employers.
When asked what would help them navigate a downturn, hiring managers pointed to:
- Training and upskilling programs (60%)
- Flexible staffing solutions (39%)
- Clearer communication from leadership (33%)
Survey Methodology
The Job Insights survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from June 2 to 28, 2025, among 1,000 U.S. hiring decision-makers.
For full survey methodologies, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.
