Category: Employers

Business conditions in the US remained strong, according to the Business Conditions Survey released today by the National Association for Business Economics. A majority of NABE member respondents to the survey, 65%, reported sales at their firms increased in the fourth quarter. However, labor shortages remained an issue. “The positive results and outlook come despite clearly visible shortages, particularly labor shortages,” said NABE Business Conditions

Business will be forced to pay more for labor this year — especially service workers — as the global supply chain remains strained, according to a report by analytics firm IHS Markit. Services workers are among the most in danger of contracting Covid and been among the most hesitant to return to work. Other factors are weighing on the global supply chain as well. Fixing

US employers are boosting their salary increase projections for this year, according to a survey taken of 1,004 US companies in October and November by WTW, the new brand for Willis Towers Watson. It found that nearly a third of US companies increased their salary projections from earlier in the year. Companies are now budgeting an overall average salary increase of 3.4% this year compared

National Federation of Independent Business (01/13/22) The recent increase in Covid-19 cases has negatively impacted about two-thirds of small business owners, according to a survey of 710 owners by the NFIB Research Center. Eleven percent of owners said the surge in cases had a significant impact on their business, 23% reported a moderate negative impact, and 34% a mild negative impact. Of those negatively impacted,

U.S. Federal Reserve (01/12/22) Economic activity across the U.S. expanded at a modest pace in the final weeks of 2021. Contacts from many Districts indicated growth continued to be constrained by ongoing supply chain disruptions and labor shortages. Although optimism remained high generally, several Districts cited reports from businesses that expectations for growth over the next several months cooled somewhat during the last few weeks.

Omicron may be weighing on job growth for now, but The Conference Board’s Employment Trends Index points to strong growth this year. “The Employment Trends Index increased again in December. And based on the latest readings of the index’s components, job growth is likely to be strong in 2022,” said Gad Levanon, head of The Conference Board Labor Markets Institute. “Nevertheless, in the very short