Some 17% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) Portuguese appealed the dismissal of employees to overcome the financial difficulties in the last year, less than 3% in 2013, according to a study released today by Zurich.
“In the last 12 months, 17% of Portuguese SMEs appealed the dismissal of employees to get around the financial difficulties and remain in operation,” concludes the study sponsored by the insurance company Zurich, along with administrators executives, general managers and heads of financial and SME operations in 19 countries.
“Compared to the same questionnaire in the summer of 2013, yet there is a slight decrease (3%) in firms that used the option to slim down the structure,” the statement from Zurich.
In the last year, 8% of SMEs operating in Portugal even had considered closing doors.
“The stakes in new market niches (22%) and price reduction (20%) remain as the main survival strategies adopted by domestic SMEs surveyed, followed shortly by backing the diversification of supply of products or services (18%), “the study concludes.
The salary increase was a reality in 8% of SMEs questioned and the recruitment of new employees materialized in 12% of companies: both criteria increased 2% over the previous year.
For the Development Director of Market Solutions at Zurich in Portugal, Artur Lucas, quoted in a statement, this “slight improvement in several indicators reveals what may be the beginning of the recovery or a curve to the Portuguese SMEs. ”
“In relation to neighboring Spain, Portugal resorted 5% more redundancies. However, a further 5% of Portuguese companies recruited and 2% increased salaries, “the director states.
* This article was written under the new orthographic agreement
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