Layoffs Are in the Works at Half of Companies, PwC Survey Shows

If your organization isn’t letting people go, the one next door probably is.

That’s a key finding from a survey released Thursday by consultant PwC, which last month polled more than 700 US executives and board members across a range of industries. Half of respondents said they’re reducing headcount or plan to, and 52% have implemented hiring freezes. More than four in ten are rescinding job offers, and a similar amount are reducing or eliminating the sign-on bonuses that had become common to attract talent in a tight job market.

At the same time, though, about two-thirds of firms ...