Small business owners are screaming the same thing for three months straight: finding decent workers is the #1 headache. 26% now say labor quality is their biggest problem—up 3 points just this month.
Inflation and weak sales are tied for second place, but they're not the lead story anymore.
This isn't about wage costs. It's about competence. Skills. Reliability. The basics.
When you can't staff properly, you can't grow. You turn away business. You burn out the people you do have. The whole thing compounds.
Meanwhile, headlines obsess over rate cuts and soft landings. But if Main Street can't find people who can actually do the work, none of that matters much.
Inflation and weak sales are tied for second place, but they're not the lead story anymore.
This isn't about wage costs. It's about competence. Skills. Reliability. The basics.
When you can't staff properly, you can't grow. You turn away business. You burn out the people you do have. The whole thing compounds.
Meanwhile, headlines obsess over rate cuts and soft landings. But if Main Street can't find people who can actually do the work, none of that matters much.