2020 Business Climate Survey results

2020 Business Climate Survey

MARION, INDIANA - Thursday, October 1, 2020

Since 2002 the Grant County Economic Growth Council has regularly conducted a confidential Business Climate Survey of local employers. The 2020 survey incorporates many of the questions from the original and 2020 respondents provide employment for the majority of Grant County employees. The Growth Council utilizes survey data to guide the Growth Council’s programs and resources, to best serve Grant County’s business community. “The fact that Grant County has a long tradition of seeking guidance from local employers, sets it apart from many communities,” observed Ashley Savieo, Economic and Business Development Manager for Indiana Michigan Power and President Elect of the Growth Council.

When asked how these businesses saw their financial situation in next 12 months, 54% of the participants saw it as substantially better or slightly better. The 51 employers felt that the Growth Council’s focus should be on the following priorities, with three items receiving equal weighted responses:

• Improve local business climate

• Foster collaboration among Local Elected Officials

• Attract new businesses

• Assist local firms to grow

Anne Duncan, Owner of Owen-Weilert-Duncan Funeral Homes and President of the Growth Council shared, “It is reassuring that the local employers have the same priorities as the board, the challenge is how do we meet those expectations in the future.”

The 2020 respondents focused heavily on the workforce as a primary concern immediately facing the ability to succeed. Employers surveyed found skill gaps in their existing workforce. For example, 40% of employers feel that their workforce has inadequate problem solving skills, and several companies commented that soft skills education and technical training needs to begin at the grade school level. This data confirms the Growth Council’s recent collaboration with the Grant County school system to conduct an annual job fair for high school students.

Many respondents expressed satisfaction with Ivy Tech’s commitment to provide local education and skills training. “I am pleased that the higher education providers have created programs for skills in need,” says one business.

When asked about the Growth Council’s attentiveness to start-up businesses, one respondent writes: “The Growth Council provides great support and collaboration with local/state officials,” and another says, “I appreciate everything that the Growth Council has done for us and how hard they work to better the County!” The Growth Council is using this data to shape our programs, marketing efforts, and relationship with local businesses. Having timely and local data is critical to fulfilling the Growth Council’s mission and ensuring that businesses have an optimal environment for growth in Grant County.

Media Contact: Tim Eckerle | teckerle@grantcounty.com | (765) 662-0650