Layoffs and hiring freezes within the direct marketing industry are at their lowest levels in nearly four years, according to a survey by Owatonna, MN-based Bernhart Associates Executive Search.
Among the 181 direct marketing companies that responded to a survey earlier this month, 11% said they have a hiring freeze in effect for the fourth quarter. During the previous quarter, 21% of respondents had hiring freezes. Only 3% of respondents planned to lay off staff, compared with 8% the previous quarter and 12% at the beginning of 2004.