NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Dan Murray with the Kansas chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business said good help remains hard to find for their members.
"Forty percent of small business owners reported job openings that they could not fill," Murray said. "That's down two points from last month, but it's still very, very high. It is the lowest level since February 2021."
When you know it's going to be a struggle to find a replacement, sometimes you have to open up the checkbook a little more to keep someone.
"More small business owners are planning to increase their compensation in the next three months," Murray said. "The unfilled job openings slipped again in August. Owners are actively working to retain current employees and attract qualified applicants. To do that, they've got to raise compensation."
Murray isn't optimistic about the rest of the year, either.
"Unless we see a significant change in our economy, I don't see the problem improving," Murray said. "We have a population problem in Kansas, as you likely well know. Our population has remained flat or decreased in some respects, depending on where you live in the state. Until we address that problem and attract more folks to come to the state of Kansas, I'm not sure that we're going to see much improvement."
Thirty-five percent of small business owners have job openings for skilled workers and 18% have openings for unskilled labor.
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