InfoAction & HR Action Update

Click to download 1st Quarter 2023 InfoAction Summary

Throughout the year, our Business Services team conducts 300 one-on-one interviews with regional employers through our InfoAction program. These interviews offer the opportunity for area business owners, CEOs, and top managers to share their valuable insights with Greater Dubuque Development staff to help us gain a deeper understanding of the regional economy and collect data guides our work. Throughout the year, our Workforce Solutions team also conducts interviews with human resources professionals. These confidential interviews focus specifically on workforce—from recruitment efforts, to retention programs, to quality of workforce, and training initiatives.

As part of our commitment to provide tangible data to our partners, quarterly summaries of key findings from these interviews are now available for download.

Top Takeaways for Q1 2023:

• Workforce and labor recruitment challenges continue to dominate discussions with businesses.  72 percent cited recruitment challenges. This is up from 63 percent in the same quarter in 2022.
• Workforce continues to be the top barrier to growth cited by businesses during the past quarter.  Air service and market size / population are also cited in the top three barriers to growth.
• 36 percent of companies note that they currently have a remote or hybrid workforce.  With varying degrees and specifics, businesses continue to navigate workforce recruitment and work / office policy.
• Business levels continue to be strong. 66 percent cited increasing sales, off slightly from the 70% during the same quarter in 2022.
• In terms of sales, business noted primary customer bases as Regional (32%), National (31%), Local (30%) and International (7%).
• 62 percent of businesses noted plans to expand, modernize / automate, add jobs, and invest in growth.  This is up from the 52 percent noting such during same quarter in 2022.
• Air service (2.31) and workforce availability (3.46) scored the lowest of all the Index rankings related to community services, utilities, and workforce dynamics (1 poor and 7 excellent).
• On the flip side, fire and police scored the highest (6.31 and 6.16 respectively).
• In terms of specific areas cited for needed improvements, traffic control-flow tops the list.  Followed closely by air service and the need to grow workforce and population.
• In addition to quality-of-life and entertainment related initiatives, housing is near the top of the list of community priorities.  Air service and childcare have also grown in terms of companies citing these needs.

To learn more about our InfoAction program, contact Dan McDonald, Director of Existing Business at danielm@greaterdubuque.org or 563-557-9049.