| Today, the Chamber with MetLife released the latest small business survey, showing that small business owners continue to find it difficult to fill job openings.
Why it matters: The worker shortage crisis continues to hold back businesses. Nearly three-in-five small business owners (58%) say they are likely to hire this year, up 10 percentage points from June.
- But there was little change in the percentage of them that have begun the hiring process (36% vs. 33% in June).
Other takeaways:
- Nearly half (49%) of small businesses that are actively hiring say it’s hard to find candidates with the skills they need.
- More than half (52%) say they are concerned about their staffing.
- Most (56%) see a return to a normal small business climate as distant (6 months – 1 year away).
Our take: “Small businesses are ready to hire, ready to welcome back customers, and support vaccinations to keep customers and employees safe,” said Tom Sullivan, Chamber Vice President of Small Business Policy. “However, the worker shortage crisis threatens the economic recovery of Main Streets across the country, and many small business owners have simply given up on finding new staff. Congress needs to focus on making it easier for small businesses to hire the people they need to grow, compete, and thrive.”
Dig deeper:
|
