Green Bay Reporter

Nearly 90% of employers in Wisconsin have reported difficulty filling open positions amid rising costs of labor and hiring shortages, according to a recent survey.

Conducted biannually by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), the winter 2022 Wisconsin Employer Survey aims to provide a snapshot of employers’ stance on important issues, and outline their economic outlook for both the state and the country as a whole. Published Feb. 14, the survey took input from 265 employers representing businesses of all sizes, industries and geographic locations in Wisconsin. 

"Wisconsin does not have enough people to fill the jobs we have available, and that creates an aggressive competition for talent. We are seeing wages rise at a faster rate, sign-on bonuses, work flexibility and many other strategies from companies to attract and retain talent," WMC President and CEO Kurt Bauer said in the survey.

According to a report by FOX 11, wages are rising much faster than they have in recent history. Results show 88% of businesses reported difficulty filling open positions while more than 80% cited expectations to increase wages by at least 3% in 2022. Of these, the report states, 34% said they planned to raise wages by more than 4%. 

An additional 68% of the state’s businesses said they expected to increase their employee count in the next six months, FOX 11 reports. Last year, the same question elicited the same response from 79% of respondents.

Among other results, 53% of Wisconsin businesses represented in the survey rated the state’s economy as strong—down from the 58% reported last summer.