Of those that are hiring, just under a third (30%) say they intend on recruiting part time staff specifically.
With record numbers of people now working part time hours in the UK (6.5 million), this trend builds on an increase of part-time recruitment by businesses in the UK.
Just under half of respondents in the survey (46%) said they have increased their numbers of part time staff in the past year with this figure rising to 62% among mid-sized businesses (251-500 employees).
More than three quarters of large businesses respondents (78%) and more than a third of small businesses (38%) say they currently have at least one part-time senior manager or director.
When asked why they were recruiting part-time, 75% said the ability to hire in senior experience, on a smaller budget, was the main driver.
Karen Mattison, co-founder of Women Like Us, said: "Hard economic times force businesses to become sharper and more innovative. Rather than freezing recruitment, employers are hiring in experienced senior candidates who only want part-time work."
Women Like Us surveyed 329 businesses about their recruitment plans for the new year. Respondents were questioned between 3 and 21 November 2011 and 89% were SMEs.
