US Administrative and Waste Management Services Sector NAICS 56

Feb 6, 2026 - Large Firms Pull Back on Hiring

• Corporate cost-cutting is reshaping the outlook for U.S. hiring as companies pull back from the aggressive expansion of the pandemic era and redirect spending toward efficiency and AI, according to The Wall Street Journal. Executives say bloated structures and high expenses are forcing them to slow or freeze hiring, particularly in tech and logistics, where overexpansion was most pronounced. Economists at Goldman Sachs warn that AI adoption is beginning to contribute to monthly net job losses and could displace 6% to 7% of current roles over time, even as it creates new ones. High interest rates and tariff uncertainty are adding pressure, leaving many job seekers facing longer periods of unemployment and fewer openings. While the broader labor market remains stable, analysts expect continued streamlining across large employers, signaling a future in which workers must adapt to new roles and evolving skill demands.
• Hours worked in the US staffing industry remained unchanged for the week ended January 24, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025, according to the Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) | Bullhorn Staffing Indicator. Professional staffing was flat year over year, and commercial staffing dropped 2%. IT staffing also remained unchanged. The SIA noted that while hours worked remained stable year-over-year, a drop in hours from the previous week across commercial, professional, and IT staffing was consistent with post-holiday trends over the last five years.

• Closed landfills are increasingly being eyed for solar development as communities seek affordable power and developers look for viable sites, but the remaining opportunities are more complex and more expensive to build, according to Waste Dive. Although more than 300 landfills hosted renewable projects in 2024, most of the easiest sites in states with supportive policies are already built out, leaving locations that require costly remediation, complex permitting, or clearer ownership. Developers say landfill solar can take five or more years to complete and demands significant upfront investment, yet rising energy demand and higher electricity prices are boosting interest. Federal incentives, including tax credits for brownfields and community solar, have helped advance projects, but recent policy changes may slow momentum. States and cities could play a larger role by streamlining permitting and offering new incentives as pressure grows to find large, unused parcels suitable for clean energy.
• A rebounding office sector could spur demand for several types of building services, including janitorial, facilities support, office administration, security, and landscaping. Demand for office space returned to positive territory in the second half of 2025, according to a recent report by Cushman & Wakefield. While the national office vacancy rate remained high at 20.5% in Q4 2025, it was only 30 basis points higher than in Q4 2024, the smallest year-over-year rise in more than 5 years. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the amount of new office space under construction dropped below 20 million square feet for the first time in 25 years. Office demolitions and conversions now outpace new office construction, leading to a decline of 20.7 million square feet in office inventory over the last six quarters.