Finding Qualified Workers Remains A Struggle

Small business owners continue to have trouble finding qualified workers, according to the latest NFIB jobs report compiled in August.

The report found 27 percent of those surveyed said finding qualified workers was their number 1 business problem.

“Small businesses continue to grow and add jobs despite talk of a potential economic slowdown,” said NFIB President and CEO Juanita D. Duggan. “However, their biggest challenge remains a lack of qualified workers.”

A seasonally-adjusted net 20 percent of owners plan to create additional jobs, down one point from July. Twenty-one percent plan to increase total employment, and five percent plan employment reductions.

Overall, 64 percent of owners surveyed said they hired or tried to hire people in August, a slight increase from the month before. Of those, 89 percent reported finding few, if any, qualified applicants.

Other key findings in the report:

• Thirty-three percent have job openings for skilled workers, and 13 percent have openings for unskilled workers.
• A net 29 percent reported raising compensation and a net 19 percent plan to raise compensation in the coming months.
• Fourteen percent of all firms reported using temporary workers.