Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 3 October to 16 October 2022

These questions are for Wave 67 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on the 3rd of October 2022. These are the most up-to-date survey questions.

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

How did your business's turnover in September 2022 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Turnover increased

• Turnover stayed the same

• Turnover decreased

• Not sure

Which of the following challenges, if any, are currently impacting your business's turnover?

• Competition

• Cost of labour

• Cost of materials

• Economic uncertainty

• Financial costs

• Insufficient domestic demand

• Insufficient international demand

• Lack of equipment

• Shortage of labour

• Shortage of materials

• Weather conditions

• Other

• Not sure

• Not currently experiencing any challenges

What are your business's expectations for turnover in November 2022?

• Expect turnover to increase

• Expect turnover to stay the same

• Expect turnover to decrease

• Not sure

How did the prices of goods or services bought by your business in September 2022 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Prices increased

• Prices stayed the same

• Prices decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How did the prices of goods or services sold by your business in September 2022 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Prices increased

• Prices stayed the same

• Prices decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

What are your business's expectations for the prices of goods or services sold in November 2022?

• Prices will increase

• Prices will stay the same

• Prices will decrease

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Which of the following factors, if any, are causing your business to consider raising prices in November 2022?

• Energy prices

• Finance costs

• Labour costs

• Raw material prices

• Other

• Not sure

• Business is not considering raising prices

How did your business's domestic demand for goods and services in September 2022 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Demand increased

• Demand stayed the same

• Demand decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How did your business's international demand for goods and services in September 2022 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Demand increased

• Demand stayed the same

• Demand decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Has your business been affected by recent increases in energy prices?

• Yes, production has been affected

• Yes, suppliers have been affected

• Yes, both production and suppliers have been affected

• No, my business has not been affected

• Not sure

• Not applicable

In which of the following ways, if any, has your business been affected by price rises?

• Discontinued lines of sale

• Had to absorb costs

• Had to access more financial support

• Had to change suppliers

• Had to make redundancies

• Had to pass on price increases to customers

• Had to reduce staff work hours

• Unable to maintain workspaces

• Other

• Not sure

• The business has not been affected by price rises

How did your business's stock levels of raw materials in September 2022 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Stock levels were higher

• Stock levels stayed the same

• Stock levels were lower

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How did your business's stock levels of finished goods in September 2022 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Stock levels were higher

• Stock levels stayed the same

• Stock levels were lower

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Is your business stockpiling any goods or materials?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

What are your business's expectations for capital expenditure over the next three months?

• Capital expenditure will increase

• Capital expenditure will stay the same

• Capital expenditure will decrease

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Why is your business expecting to authorise capital expenditure in November 2022?

• For replacements

• To expand capacity

• To increase efficiency

• To provide new services

• To reach new customers

• To use new technology

• Other

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Which of the following, if any, do you expect to limit your business's capital expenditure in November 2022?

• Inability to raise external finance

• Inadequate return on proposed investment

• Shortage of internal finance

• Shortage of labour

• Uncertainty about demand or business prospects

• Other

• Not sure

• Not expecting any limits to capital expenditure

Did your business scrap any capital assets earlier than intended in September 2022?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Please explain in more detail what type of assets your business scrapped early and why.

In September 2022, approximately what percentage of your business's workforce were:

• Using a hybrid model of working

• Working from home

• Working from a designated workspace

• On sick leave, or not working due to coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms or self-isolation

• Made permanently redundant

• Other

How did the number of employees at your business in September 2022 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Number of employees increased

• Number of employees stayed the same

• Number of employees decreased

• Not sure

What are your business's expectations for the number of employees in November 2022?

• Number of employees will increase

• Number of employees will stay the same

• Number of employees will decrease

• Not sure

How has 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

Is your business using, or intending to use, any of the following safety measures in the workplace?

• Adjusted working practices

• Carbon dioxide monitors

• Customer coronavirus (COVID-19) checks

• Hygiene measures

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Social distancing

• Temperature checks

• Other

• Not sure

• None of the above

Is your business providing regular coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for its workforce?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

What percentage of your workforce are receiving regular coronavirus (COVID-19) testing?

• Approximate percentage of your workforce receiving regular testing

• Not sure

Did your business experience any difficulties recruiting employees in September 2022?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Which of the following employees has your business had difficulties in recruiting?

• Clerical employees

• Professional or managerial employees

• Semi-skilled or unskilled employees

• Skilled, manual or technical employees

• Other

• Not sure

Why did your business experience difficulties in recruiting employees?

• Business cannot offer 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

How long do you expect your business's cash reserves will last?

• Less than 1 month

• 1 to 3 months

• 4 to 6 months

• More than 6 months

• Not sure

• Business has no cash reserves

How would you describe your business's overall performance in September 2022, compared with this calendar month last year?

• Performance increased

• Performance stayed the same

• Performance decreased

• Not sure

How do you expect your business's overall performance to change over the next 12 months?

• Performance will increase

• Performance will stay the same

• Performance will decrease

• Not sure

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

• Comments