Grand Canyon Times

Job vacancies remain a significant challenge for small businesses, as per the recent Job Report by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The report, unveiled today, revealed that 40% of small business owners in March reported difficulties in staffing, marking a slight increase from February.

Chad Heinrich, NFIB's state director in Arizona, highlighted ongoing issues faced by small businesses: “Arizona’s small businesses continue to face rising labor costs and staffing shortages. While the issues of labor cost and staffing are not in their direct control, the Arizona Legislature is working on key policies that will improve the business climate in Arizona for years to come; issues like eliminating the personal property tax for Arizona’s smallest businesses and requiring transparency on investor-funded lawsuits that use the legal system for profit are key issues for small business survival.”

Published on the first Thursday monthly, NFIB's Jobs Report surveys its member small-business owners nationwide, typically including businesses with one to nine employees and gross sales around $500,000 annually.

Bill Dunkelberg, NFIB Chief Economist, noted on labor challenges: “With qualified workers in short supply, job openings stayed solid on Main Street in March. As spring progresses, fewer small business owners plan to create new positions, but they are looking to fill current vacancies.”

The report highlighted notable job vacancies in construction, transportation, and manufacturing, with construction openings rising significantly from both the previous month and last year. Despite stable labor quality concerns at 19%, labor costs mentioned as the primary concern for owners decreased slightly to 11%.

Compensation adjustments were noted with a net 38% of owners raising pay, and 19% planning further increases soon.

For further information, NFIB suggests visiting their website or social media for updates.