Business outlook stable over next six months

Business outlook stable over next six months

Most businesses expect overall business conditions to remain stable over the next six months, according to employers surveyed by the EMA.

In its mid-year Employers Survey, 56% of respondees said they expected business conditions to remain the same, while 38% said they expected it to improve. When asked about their own businesses, 53% said they expected to see it grow over the same time period.

"Our economy is tracking well and I’m not surprised by these responses," says Kim Campbell, CEO, EMA.

While 52% of respondees said they had increased their staff numbers over past six months, 66% said it was still difficult to attract suitably skilled candidates. The top three positions most difficult to recruit in are professionals, technicians and managers - which is the same as a year ago.

"Most employers see a skills shortage in their industry sector. What’s new is that there are increased shortages in sales workers, machinery operators and labourers. In particular, the latter two sectors relate to the ongoing infrastructure development underway such as road construction and demand for scaffolders."

While most employers will meet their skill needs over the next 12 months by recruiting staff with the required experience (58%), they will look also look at training and upskilling current staff as a way to fill their skills shortage. Some (22%) also seek skilled migrants.

The full report is available on the EMA website, ema.co.nz, in the Resources section here

ENDS

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