Employers say staff shortages are holding back growth

Jersey firms say staff shortages are holding back growth, survey finds

A growing number of Jersey businesses say skills and staff shortages are hampering their operations, according to the latest Business Tendency Survey from Statistics Jersey.

The quarterly report, which tracks economic sentiment among local firms, found that 70% of businesses operating at or above capacity cited a shortage of skilled workers as their biggest constraint. Meanwhile, more than half of underloaded firms said weak demand was their main challenge.

In response, business leaders said they were looking to cut operational costs, recruit more staff, or invest in upskilling existing employees to address the shortages.

Although fewer companies reported cost increases during the three months to September 2025 compared with the same period last year, most expected price and wage pressures to persist through the end of the year. Profitability, the report warned, was likely to remain subdued.

The survey, first launched in 2009, gathers quarterly insights from chief executives and managing directors across Jersey’s private sector, providing a snapshot of recent performance and short-term expectations.

The outlook varied by industry. Firms in the finance sector were generally more optimistic, forecasting a rise in activity and profitability over the next three months. In contrast, non-finance businesses reported “more pronounced” cost pressures and expected to face further increases in input costs and prices, alongside declining profits.