business backgrounder | education & workforce
AWB has surveyed employers four times since the summer of 2021 . These surveys include this question : “ In your opinion , what are the most important challenges facing Washington employers today ?”
In the summer of 2021 government regulations and a lack of qualified workers stood out as concerns . Sixty-seven percent of respondents listed government regulations , and 65 % cited a lack of qualified workers . No other issue topped 50 %.
AWB surveyed employers again in the fall of 2021 . Then , three issues stood out : government regulations ( 68 %), the workforce shortage ( 65 %), and the overall tax burden ( 52 %). Again , no other issue topped 50 %.
Things changed in the spring of 2022 when five issues topped the 50 % mark : Inflation ( 63 %), workforce ( 62 %), supply chain ( 61 %), government regulation ( 57 %), at 57 % and the overall tax burden ( 51 %).
Many of these concerns continued in the summer of 2022 , with the number worried about inflation rising steadily . So far , 71 % of respondents listed inflation as an important challenge , followed by 63 % who listed workforce , 57 % who listed supply chain , 56 % who listed government regulations and 47 % who listed the overall tax burden .
“ Inflation has quickly risen to the top of employer concerns ,” Johnson said . “ The workforce shortage and supply chain disruptions are the No . 2 and No . 3 concerns for two surveys in a row now .”
If there ’ s one thing that can be gleaned from a year ’ s worth of employer surveys , it ’ s that we ’ re living through a uniquely challenging time . From government-mandated closures at the start of the pandemic to a severe reduction in the labor force and now the highest inflation rate in 40 years , employers are contending with multiple challenges all at once .
That makes AWB ’ s mission to be a catalytic leader and unifying voice for economic prosperity more important than ever . It means we all need to be champions for the economy .
In the summer of 2022 , the top five concerns from Washington employers were :
71 % inflation 63 % workforce 57 % supply chain 56 % government regulations 47 % tax burden
“ Washington employers led us out of the pandemic and into a strong economic recovery . Now they face several major challenges all at once . Each of these challenges are difficult in their own right , and together , they create a perfect storm unlike anything we ’ ve seen in many years .”
— Kris Johnson , president , AWB
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