NFIB: 44% of Wisconsin small businesses have open jobs, can’t find workers
(The Center Square) – The latest snapshot from Wisconsin’s small businesses show almost half of them are struggling.
A new National Federation of Independent Business report says 44% of small businesses in the state have open jobs they cannot fill.
“The labor shortage continues to challenge small business employers as they struggle to emerge from the devastating economic impact of COVID-19,” NFIB Wisconsin State Director Bill G. Smith said.
The number of small businesses with open jobs and no workers has been increasing since the end of January. Smith says the historical average for open jobs in Wisconsin is half what it is now, just 22%.
“The tight labor market is hindering our small business owners and could be detrimental to helping Wisconsin’s economy bounce back from the pandemic,” Smith said.
The 44% of businesses that can’t find workers pale in comparison to the over 90% of businesses that say they cannot find ‘qualified’ workers.
“Ninety-two percent of those owners hiring or trying to hire report few or no ‘qualified’ applicants for the positions they were trying to fill in April,” the report states.
To counter the trend, Smith said small business owners in Wisconsin are offering more money or other incentives.
“A net 31% reported raising compensation, the highest level in the past 12 months,” the report notes. “A net 20% of owners plan to raise compensation in the next three months.”
Smith says the shortages are hurting all small businesses, from restaurants to construction companies.
“Small business owners are trying to recover from mandated shutdowns and are now having trouble finding workers to fill open positions,” Smith added.
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