A survey
released earlier this month by
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce showed more than 70% of Wisconsin employers expect a recession in the next month, but newly released data from the survey suggest employers still plan to add to their workforce.
The latest survey data shows 62% of employers surveyed plan to increase their number of employees in the next six months, while 34% plan no change and 5% expect a decrease.
In December, 68% of Wisconsin employers surveyed by WMC planned to increase staff and a year ago 79% were planning to grow their workforce.
The survey included 216 employers making a representative sample of WMC’s membership.
In addition to their hiring plans, 85% of employers surveyed said they are having trouble hiring. Among those having trouble hiring, 62% said they are having difficulty with skilled labor, 55% are struggling with entry-level jobs, 40% are having issues with unskilled labor and 38% are struggling to add office and professional staff.
Just 20% said they are having issues hiring for management and 5% are struggling to hire executives.
Nearly all employers surveyed are planning wage increases this year, including a plurality, 46%, planning increases of 4.1% or more. Another 25% plan increases of 3.6% to 4 and 15% plan an increase of 3% to 3.5%.
The survey found 10% of employers planning increases of less than 3% and another 4% plan to keep wages the same.
WMC also found growing adoption of hybrid work arraignments with 9% of those surveyed saying they used hybrid setups pre-pandemic and 35% saying they are hybrid now. The percentage going fully remote was little changed with 1% using the approach pre-pandemic compared to 2% now.
