BIA Business Outlook Survey: Recruitment remains a challenge

After a stagnant year in hiring (the same percentage of New Jersey employers that planned to hire in 2024 was the same percentage that said they planned to reduce hiring), the outlook for 2025 is much brighter.

According to the NJ Business and Industry Association’s 66th Annual Business Outlook survey released today, 28% of companies predicted they would hire more next year – compared to just 10% who said they would hire fewer make.

That’s all good, except for one key problem: Employers still said they’re having trouble finding qualified candidates.

For the second year in a row, more than half (55%) said they found it difficult to find suitable staff. While this is a significant decrease from last year, when 70% of respondents reported having problems, it is still concerning.

According to the survey, 77% of those who had difficulty finding staff said there were not enough candidates or applicants to fill open positions, while 68% said candidates lacked the necessary skills or qualifications.

About the survey: Questions for NJBIA’s 66th Annual Business Outlook Survey, conducted in collaboration with Englewood-based Signet Research, were sent to New Jersey business owners and executives in September and October 2024. The report is based on 620 valid answers.

Most respondents were small businesses, with 66% employing 24 or fewer employees.

The full results for each survey question that allows a single answer may be slightly more or less than 100% based on calculations made before rounding.

To view the full survey, click here.