Greek employers are expecting the climate in the local labor market to deteriorate further in the first quarter of 2013, according to the latest survey by the Manpower human resources firm.

While two-thirds (66 percent) of respondents are anticipating no change to the number of people they employ, one in four (25 percent) expect their staff to be reduced by end-March, against just 9 percent who see the number of their paid employees increasing.

Manpower data show that the total prospects for hiring are at -16 percent, virtually unchanged from the last quarter of 2012 and two notches higher than in the first quarter of 2012.

Forecasts are negative for all nine sectors of economic activity, with the least favorable prospects seen by employers in the fields of tourism, wholesale and retail commerce, construction and manufacturing.

While plans for hiring are weakened in the electricity, natural gas and water sectors compared with the first quarter of 2012, the prospects of taking on new employees have increased in the public sector, the financial market and in the supply of services to companies.