survey

Small Businesses Getting Ready to Hire

The nation’s unemployment rate may have hit a 26-year high in September but many small businessowners are getting ready to hire.  The latest Intuit Payroll survey found that nearly half of the small business owners surveyed, 44 percent, are planning to hire new employees within the next 12 months. At the same time, many small business owners believe that benefits are key to attracting new hires but are finding them difficult to afford.

“Economists may have declared the recession over, but on Main Street, unemployment figures are what really matter,” said Nora Denzel, senior vice president of Intuit’s Employee Management Solutions Division, which helps more than 1 million small businesses easily and affordably manage their payroll. “There are struggles ahead, nobody is uncorking the champagne bottle quite yet, but we are starting to see small signs of optimism.”

These 12-month hiring plans coincide with a somewhat optimistic view of their own prospects for growth. Sixty percent expect their business to grow in the next year. Newer businesses are the most bullish: 80 percent of companies founded less than three years ago expect to grow over the next year, compared to roughly half that have been in operation for 10 years or more.

When it comes to hiring, small business owners are looking for candidates with a broader skill set. Fifty percent of the small business respondents said they were looking for a “people person” or “jack of all trades,” over a “creative genius” (11 percent) or “mathematical wizard” (4 percent).

Benefits Key to Attracting Talent

While small business owners get ready to hire, many of them are in a quandary when it comes to attracting talent. Nearly 90 percent of survey participants said that health insurance benefits are important to attracting and retaining good employees. Yet 58 percent don’t offer healthcare insurance, with nearly 50 percent stating that they can’t afford it.

Employer-provided retirement plans are even scarcer. Among the businesses surveyed just one-fourth offer retirement benefits. Of those who don’t, nearly two-thirds said they don’t have a responsibility to do so while the remainder said that they can’t find an affordable plan.

“There’s a widening gap of expectations,” said Denzel. “On one hand, we as a society assume that health and retirement benefits are part of every employee’s compensation package. And yet even as these small businesses gear up to hire, according to our results, small businesses are leery about what those benefits will cost.”

Additional Findings

The survey also found that:

• Friends and family matter. Seventy-nine percent of small business owners surveyed have hired a friend or family member and only 22 percent said that this was a bad decision. The reason may have to do with trust, which was cited as one of the two biggest hiring challenges, along with finding employees with the right experience.
• Long-term relationships are important. Forty-four percent of the small business owner respondents reported that their first employee still works for them.
• Stimulus funds not a factor. Consistent with the previous Intuit Payroll Survey conducted three months ago, only 1 percent of respondents reported receiving federal stimulus money. Yet 74 percent admit that they are probably not taking advantage of all the benefits available to their business under the federal economic stimulus plan.

survey

Green is the New Black

Regardless of the economic climate, people want to lead a greener lifestyle according to an informal survey of ecomii.com visitors and Debatables participants. ecomii is the #1 green lifestyle resource on the Internet (according to comScore). Lack of information and consumer understanding as to how to be greener remain an impediment according to the survey.

“We decided to tap the collective knowledge of our community to demonstrate to the world that being green happens not only Earth day,” said Colton Dirksen, Environmental Director and co-founder, ecomii.com. “Earth Day is not about a single big gesture to be quickly forgotten, it’s a day to think about daily habits and the consequences of actions. It’s about making resolutions and real, even small, meaningful changes in the way we live our lives.

“Our polls show people are clearly inspired and ready to take action, but many just don’t know where to start. And we found that there is a perception that going green means spending more, which makes it especially difficult for people to motivate in this economic climate. But when you allow people to find solutions that fit their lifestyle, they realize they don’t have to sacrifice their comfort, and that it’s possible to even save money in the process,” added Dirksen.

ecomii sees many opportunities for growth in green markets over the next few years as environmental consciousness grows. In particular, ecomii’s survey found that green products are perceived as stylish and of better quality and those buying them are being viewed as cool. According to the survey:

• Organic and natural clothing are considered better quality: 89% of respondents agree that, “natural materials are more comfortable than synthetic materials”
• “In-the-know” consumers are pushing back on manufacturers: 74% believe chlorine bleach should be banned from cleaning products
• Going green is not just a current trend: 37% disagree that “people will lead a less green lifestyle with the current financial crisis”
• Gardening is cool again: 84% say “growing your own vegetables is worth the time and effort”

Additional findings from the ecomii survey include:

• Not enough education: 89% say “schools are not doing enough to educate our children on environmental responsibility”
• Many consumers are not clear how to recycle everything: 75% of respondents say “it is too difficult to recycle electronics like cell phones and computers”
• Detroit needs to reclaim its territory: 78% believe “U.S. automakers can catch up and lead the green car revolution”
• Government misspending: 87% day the “U.S. should focus it’s stimulus dollars less on the auto industry and more on public transportation like trains”