Survey: 40% of small firms set to recruit

The economy has stabilised and more than 40% of all small businesses are planning to recruit more staff, according to the Small Firms Association (SFA) Autumn employment survey.

The director of the Small Firms Association, Patricia Callan, said that 42% of firms plan to increase their employment levels, with 7% of those set to significantly increase job numbers, and 43% set to maintain employment levels. Only 14% of small firms plan to let staff go.

The SFA’s survey of 628 members found that a lack of business was the biggest obstacle to job creation; 46% of respondents cited not enough business as the biggest barrier to job creation; 33% of respondents said that cost was the biggest obstacle; while employment law (10%) and lack of skills (9%) were other factors. Only 3% of respondents cited unrealistic salary expectations from candidates as a barrier to creating jobs.