Indiana Chamber survey finds more employers optimistic about Indiana
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Indiana businesses are feeling more optimistic about their fortune and the future of the state, according to the annual employer workforce survey from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and its Institute for Workforce Excellence.
About 1,000 employers from various industries and places were surveyed in August.
Nearly 70% believe the state is heading in the right direction, and about half of those employers believe they will increase their workforce in the next two years. About 48% of all respondents expect their business to grow in size over that period.
The biggest issue was finding and retaining talent, but this year’s survey shows improvement, with the number of employers identifying that as their main challenge dropping 10% to 42%.
The number of those who said the supply of qualified applicants does not meet their needs has dropped from 72% in 2021 to 52% in 2023. About a third said their company left a notable amount of jobs last year due to underqualified candidates.
“It’s heartening to see fewer employers report the lack of high-caliber talent. It’s also fair to say that’s in part because employers increasingly are stepping up to proactively tackle their workforce needs,” said Jason Bearce, Chamber vice president of education and workforce, in a news release. “Whether that’s through skills-based hiring, targeted training or talent diversity, more employers are becoming a part of the solution as collaborative, co-creators of Hoosier talent.”
As for negative factors affecting the workforce, the survey showed childcare, housing, transportation, lack of diversity and quality schools as deterrents.
Check out what else the survey found here.