According to a blog post from Alignable citing its 2022 Holiday Hiring Poll, the labor shortage may not be an issue for some small businesses, including furniture retailers, who are putting the brakes on hiring.
Just 7% of small business owners, down from 36% last season, said they planned to hire holiday workers, according to a survey of more than 4,400 business owners from various industries, including manufacturing, automotive, finance, restaurants, and transportation. Between Sept. 16 and Oct. 12.
With 15% of small businesses stating they would be hiring temporary workers in the fourth quarter, retail was among the top three categories still in need of assistance. The only industries seeking more temporary help were transportation (25%) and restaurants (17%).
Along with holiday hiring reductions, the poll revealed that 67% of small businesses were also holding off on filling permanent positions. Furniture-related small businesses topped the list at 71%. In addition, none of the furniture industry respondents polled were hiring seasonal part-timers, and 14% were laying off employees, according to Alignable’s blog.
According to the online small business network’s report, consumer spending cuts on non-essential items during a time of increased inflation and recession fears led to the furniture industry’s decision to make the change.
According to the report, however, furniture retailers are not the only ones who aren’t hiring through the end of the year; 46% of all small retailers aren’t doing so either seasonally or permanently. The factors mentioned include rising labor costs, difficulty hiring, other rising costs, and recessionary concerns.
The conservative stance encompasses not only industries but also regions of the nation. The survey found that at least 50% of small businesses were not hiring in 11 states, and in six of those states—Massachusetts, California, Michigan, Arizona, New York, and Florida—the percentage reached or exceeded 60%.
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Source: https://www.furnituretoday.com/research-and-analysis/why-small-businesses-including-the-furniture-sector-are-cutting-back-on-hiring/
