Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 19 August to 1 September 2024

These questions are for Wave 115 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 19 August 2024.

Which of the following statements best describes your business's trading status?               

• Currently fully trading           
• Currently partially trading    
• Paused trading but intends to restart in the next two weeks 
• Paused trading and does not intend to restart in the next two weeks
• Permanently ceased trading

Is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?

• Yes
• No         
• Not sure
• Not applicable   

Why is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?             

• Ability to better match jobs to skills
• Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool in the UK
• Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool internationally
• Improved staff wellbeing
• Increased productivity
• Reduced carbon emissions
• Reduced overheads
• Reduced sickness absence
• Reduced wage bill
• Other
• Not sure              

Why is your business not intending to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?             

• Concerns with integrating new starters into the workplace
• Costs of employee equipment
• Difficulties managing staff remotely
• Negative impact on working culture
• Not suitable for our business
• Reduced communication
• Reduced productivity
• Reduced reliability and retention of staff
• Security concerns
• Other
• Not sure              

Which, if any, of the following skills has your business had a high demand for in the last 12 months?

• Advanced digital skills
• Basic digital skills
• Customer service skills
• Management or leadership skills
• Manual skills
• Transferable skills
• Other
• None of the above

Which, if any, of the following skills does your workforce require extra support or training in?

• Advanced digital skills
• Basic digital skills
• Customer service skills
• Management or leadership skills
• Manual skills
• Transferable skills
• Other
• None of the above

On average, how did employees' hourly wages in July 2024 compare with employees' hourly wages in the previous calendar month?           

• Wages increased
• Wages stayed the same
• Wages decreased
• Not sure

How have your business's staffing costs changed over the last three months?

• Costs have increased
• Costs have stayed the same
• Costs have decreased
• Not sure
• Not applicable   

How does your business expect staffing costs to change over the next three months?

• Costs will increase
• Costs will stay the same
• Costs will decrease
• Not sure
• Not applicable   

Which of the following challenges, if any, has your business experienced due to a shortage of workers?

• Business had to pause trading entirely
• Business had to recruit temporary workers
• Employees worked increased hours
• Had to pause trading of some of the business
• Unable to meet demands
• Other
• Not sure
• Business has not experienced any challenges due to a shortage of workers            

Which of the following employees, if any, did your business have difficulties recruiting in July 2024?

• Clerical employees
• Professional or managerial employees
• Semi-skilled or unskilled employees
• Skilled, manual or technical employees
• Other
• Not sure
• Business did not experience any difficulties in recruiting employees

Why did your business experience difficulties recruiting employees in July 2024?

• Business cannot offer an attractive pay package to applicants
• Increased number of vacancies
• Lack of qualified applicants for the roles on offer
• Low number of applications for the roles on offer
• Reduced number of applicants aged 16 to 24 years
• Reduced number of applicants aged over 50 years
• Reduced number of EU applicants
• Other
• Not sure

Does your business expect to make any of your workforce redundant over the next three months?

• Yes         
• No         
• Not sure              

When do you expect these redundancies to happen?

• Within the next 2 weeks
• Between 2 weeks and 1 month
• Between 1 and 3 months
• Not sure

Why is your business making these redundancies?           

• Automation
• Business is closing or insolvent
• Certain job roles are no longer required
• Change in management
• Relocation of the business
• Site closures
• To reduce staff costs
• Other
• Not sure
• Prefer not to say

Was your business affected by industrial action in July 2024?

• Yes, the business was affected
• No, the business was not affected
• Not sure
• Not applicable
• Prefer not to say

How was your business affected by industrial action in July 2024?

• Business was unable to obtain necessary goods
• Business was unable to obtain necessary services
• Business was unable to operate fully
• Part or all of the workforce were directly involved in industrial action
• Workforce had to change their working location
• Workforce were unable to perform their roles
• Other
• Not sure              

How much confidence does your business have that it will meet its current debt obligations?

• High confidence
• Moderate confidence
• Low confidence
• No confidence
• Not sure
• Business does not have any debt obligations

Please tell us anything else about your business's current situation relating to topics covered in this survey

• Comments