Idaho Department of Labor

08/23/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/23/2024 08:52

Idaho Department of Labor seeks responses from businesses

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Aug. 23, 2024
Media Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

The department is seeking responses for its second annual Idaho Business Climate Survey. The survey launches the week of Aug. 28. Businesses selected to participate will have two weeks to respond.

"The survey allows the department to provide real-time data on the current state of businesses in Idaho," Labor Economist Seth Harrington said. "Businesses also share their voice on the benefits and challenges of doing business in the state."

Providing this information on an annual basis allows for a year-over-year comparison of Idaho's business climate from an employer's point of view.

Broad measures of national employment data are readily available and released quickly, but statewide data, if available, often lags. Surveys like this answer questions real-time information that national data does not record or observe.

Below are some key insights included in 2023's survey:

  • 56% of respondents expected to gain workers over the next five years.
  • 5% of respondents said labor, either high turnover or cost of workers, was their top business concern.
  • 44% of respondents cited job switching as their main reason for labor turnover.
  • Idaho employers saw deficiencies in workers' soft skills and expected their need for these skills to grow.

The first annual statewide survey was in 2023 and currently serves as a benchmark for future results.

Idaho employers will be emailed a link for the 2024 annual business climate survey from stateofidaho.qualtrics.com.

Not all businesses in the state will receive an invitation to the survey.

We thank all employers who participate and give information that will lead to a more detailed and accurate representation of the state's current business climate.

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This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor as part of the Workforce Information Grant (48%) and matched/dedicated funds (52%) totaling $704,259.