Confidence in job creation shaky
Apr 21 2011
Fewer businesses believe they can hire staff in the coming year
The likelihood of small businesses creating jobs to drive economic growth is in jeopardy because fewer believe they will be able to employ new staff in the year ahead, a new survey suggests.
According to the latest quarterly Referendum research from the Forum of Private Business (FPB), more than a fifth of small business owners (22 per cent) expect to recruit in 2011 – but confidence that they will be able to do so is dwindling compared to December 2010, when almost 30 per cent of respondents said they planned to take on new staff.
While 14 per cent intend to simply recruit in the coming year, a further 8 per cent plan to hire but believe they will have to train new staff in the necessary skills their businesses require.
In addition, business owners surveyed by the FPB have identified a pressing need for external support and training for themselves and senior managers in a number of key areas, including finance, product development, employee engagement and sales and marketing.
FPB research manager Tom Parry says, ‘It is concerning that small business owners' confidence in their ability to create jobs in the current economic climate and drive recovery is falling, and clearly there is still a pressing need to address barriers such as employment taxes and red tape, steep recruitment costs and skills issues.’
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