(INDIANAPOLIS) – An Indiana Chamber survey says the pandemic isn’t the only reason businesses are struggling to find workers.
72% of 905 companies surveyed say there aren’t enough workers with the skills to meet their needs — 60% say they’ve left jobs unfilled as a result. That’s higher than before the pandemic, but even then, about half of employers consistently reported leaving jobs unfilled, while 62% complained of an inadequate supply of workers three years ago. The figure declined to 50% the last two years before rising on this year’s survey.
Chamber vice president Jason Bearce says the pandemic has been a factor, with more people holding out for jobs they can do from home. But he says the main issue remains a skills gap which has plagued Indiana companies for years.
Bearce says about one in six companies are loading more responsibilities onto the workforce they have, but he says that’s not sustainable in the long term. Others have been relying more on automation, a trend Bearce says the pandemic has accelerated.
He says it should be one more nudge to Hoosiers to pursue job certifications that can make them more marketable, and make their jobs more secure as companies turn more functions over to machines.
58% of employers say they expect to add jobs over the next two years.
