Here's what our employers are most worried about right now
Here's some news that’s really not new:
The ability to hire and bring back workers is the single biggest hurdle standing between our employers and having a successful finish to 2021.
Attracting and retaining workers has been a challenge for our inner western suburbs for years. Traffic, inadequate public transportation, insufficient parking and a housing shortage have long made it hard to lure hourly employees, millennials, tech and life sciences workers and others to our communities.
Now it’s off the charts.
Three-out-of-four employers who responded to our chamber survey told us attracting and retaining workers was their single biggest challenge.
What's the second biggest?
The price of talent, according to 64 percent of respondents. So, same thing, right?
We had 473 responses to our email survey, which was conducted between May 21-28 -- the week before the economy reopened May 29.
Across the board – large and small companies, for profit and nonprofit -- are worried about hiring, along with perennial challenges for our region: traffic, parking, cost of health insurance, housing, regulations and taxes.
But two new issues figured prominently that weren't present when we've conducted similar surveys in prior years:
- More than half of all respondents told us they were concerned about the impact of COVID on the heath and mental health of their employees.
- Nearly as many recognized the need to make their workplaces more diverse and inclusive as critical to success this year.
Here’s our employers' ten top concerns...
Most important issues related to business success in 2021
- Attracting and retaining workers (74%)
- Wages (64%)
- Impact of COVID on health/mental health* (62%)
- Making our workplace more diverse and inclusive* (55%)
- Traffic and parking (54%)
- Uncertainty of federal policy (54%)
- Cost of health insurance (52%)
- Education and workforce training (51%)
- Employee/workforce housing (44%)
- State/federal taxes or fees AND local zoning & regulations (39%)
*New this year to our annual survey. Email survey conducted May 21-28
Two more things our businesses told us
While many businesses and nonprofits will need to work hard to recover lost sales and pay down debt, more than half of all respondents told us programs like the federal Paycheck Protection Program, state grants and earned retention tax credits played a meaningful role in getting to this point.
While many businesses and nonprofits will need to work hard to recover lost sales and pay down debt, more than half of all respondents told us programs like the federal Paycheck Protection Program, state grants and earned retention tax credits played a meaningful role in getting to this point.And now, more than 80 percent of respondents say they feel optimistic about their financial performance for the rest of 2021.
Only, they say, it would be even stronger if they could fill more of those open positions.
This morning at 9 a.m. we’ll be sharing more results and have an important discussion about the challenges and results.
One registered for the event, we'll send you the link right away and the full survey results as well.
Just in: Newton will have a competitive race for mayor
Former Newton City Councilor Amy Mah Sangiolo will challenge Mayor Ruthanne Fuller this fall, reports John Hilliard at the Globe.
If elected, the lifelong Democrat would become the first Asian American (and second woman after Fuller) to serve as Newton’s mayor.
Republican and perennial mayoral candidate Al Cecchinelli is also expected to run.
Beloved bike shop closes after seven decades
After selling and servicing bikes for generations of families and commuters, Harris Cyclery in West Newton has closed.
The Harris Family decided to close its doors permanently, hit hard by pandemic supply issues. First opened in 1952, their last day was Sunday, reports Jenna Fisher at Patch.
"Harris Cyclery of West Newton, Mass., have come to the moment of saying good-bye," the owners wrote in a goodbye note. "We do so with some sadness, but we do also without regrets."
Another closing from that same era
Ye Old Cottage in Weston -- which coincidentally also first opened in 1952 – is also closing, according to Wicked Local.
Here’s better news...
- A new restaurant called Ward 4 opens this Sat. June 19 in Auburndale. Ward 4 was dreamed up by Walter Devine and Chris Noble, two guys born and raised in Newton that realized there is no real neighborhood spot in Auburndale. If the food is as amazing as the photos I've seen of the bar, we're in for a treat. (Newton Patch)
- Celebrity chef and restaurateur, Jason Santos will open a second location of Buttermilk & Bourbon (currently in the Back Bay) at Watertown’s Arsenal Yards next month. (Watertown News)
- Clover Food Lab is slated to open its first Newton location July 9 at TRIO in Newtonville. This location will feature Clover's first-ever espresso bar in partnership with another Newtonville favorite George Howell Coffee. (Newton Patch.
And one more...
Our friends at the Coolidge Corner Theatre are about to embark on a multimillion-dollar renovation of the beloved Brookline arthouse.
The landmark Art Deco cinema (and member of our chamber) will add two new screens — and over 200 seats — as well as a larger lobby and third-floor community space, with a catering kitchen and outdoor roof deck, writes Mark Shanahan at the Globe.
Meanwhile the theater, which had been closed for 14 months, is continuing to screen films, including right now "In the Heights."
Ordering a to-go Margarita while watching Planning Board from home returns!
On Tuesday, restaurateurs across the state scrubbed to-go drinks from their online menus, while municipalities and others scrambled to hold meetings in person for the first in more than a year.
Then yesterday, restaurant operators were allowed to put cocktails, beer and wine back on their take-out menus. And meetings could, once again, be held remotely.
Gov. Charlie Baker signed the bill extending those and other pandemic era provisions yesterday.
It would have been preferable, of course, if the bill was ready 24 hours sooner to avoid all that hoop jumping.
But, too often, that’s how Beacon Hill rolls.
The bill extends to-go cocktails through May 1, 2022. (Drinks must be sold at the same price for off-premises consumption as for on-premises consumption).
Also signed was an extension for expanded outdoor dining (which would otherwise have expired in August) until April 1, 2022.
No action was taken on another measure many restaurants sought: extending the cap on meal delivery fees. The House supported an extension, the Senate did not. (Globe story here.)
Now let's make remote meeting access permanent
A bill co-authored by Needham Rep. Denise Garlick would make remote meeting access permanent, reports Katie Lannan at State House News.
The bill has the support of the ACLU of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, MASSPIRG, the New England First Amendment Coalition and a certain chamber president I know who can’t otherwise follow activities in four municipalities at the same time.
No relation to us
Finally, I wrote about this a few weeks back but I'm getting enough questions about this to make it worth mentioning again.
Please note: The Newton-Needham Regional Chamber is independently governed. We are not affiliated with the U.S. or any other chamber of commerce, nationally or locally.
Reach out if you have questions.
That’s today’s Need to Knows, unless you need to know if there’s more demand these days for oysters or Girl Scout Cookies.
Be back Friday.
President, Newton-Needham Regional Chamber
617-244-1688
