NFIB’s August jobs report found that 32% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in August, down 1 point from July. The last time unfilled job openings fell below 32% was in July 2020. Twenty-eight percent have openings for skilled workers (down 1 point), and 13% have openings for unskilled labor (up 1 point).

In August, 21% of small business owners cited labor quality as their single most important problem, unchanged from July. Labor costs reported as the single most important problem for business owners fell 1 point from July to 8%.

Overall, 53% of small business owners reported hiring or trying to hire in August, down 4 points from July. Forty-three percent (81% of those hiring or trying to hire) of owners reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill, down 5 points. Twenty-six percent of owners reported few qualified applicants for their open positions and 17% reported none.

Twenty-eight percent have openings for skilled workers (down 1 point) and 13% have openings for unskilled labor (up 1 point).

Job openings were the highest in the construction, manufacturing, and transportation industries, and the lowest in the wholesale and finance industries.

A seasonally adjusted net 15% of owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, up 1 point from July and the third consecutive monthly increase.

Seasonally adjusted, a net 29% of small business owners reported raising compensation in August, up 2 points from July. A net 20% (seasonally adjusted) plan to raise compensation in the next three months, up 3 points from July. Labor costs reported as the single most important problem for business owners decreased 1 point from July to 8%.

Click here to view the entire NFIB Jobs Report

The full Small Business Economic Trends report will be released on Tuesday, September 9th.