Today, Vail Valley Economic Development released the findings of the 10th Annual Eagle County Workforce Survey.  Conducted since 2006-2007, the survey asks employers about their business outlook, their employees, and their forecasts for the future.  View the full report here.

This year’s survey was administered between April 1 and May 6, with 128 businesses responding.    Respondents were made up of small and large businesses representing a good cross section of Eagle County’s economy.  The survey is opt-in rather than a random sample or census survey, so while a margin of error cannot be calculated, the results can be used to reliably assess trends affecting Eagle County businesses and the workforce.

Some key highlights and conclusions from the 2016 survey findings are below:

• Business owners and managers have reduced confidence about the economy in general, as well as their own business health when compared to the 2014-15 results. Respondents feel slightly more negative in their opinion of current economic conditions versus the previous year.  Optimistic predictions for the upcoming year declined more dramatically though, especially for the Eagle County economy in general.

• Frustration with housing continues to grow and is substantially higher than in 2014-15. Negative opinions about housing are higher than ever found in the history of conducting the survey. More than 2 out of 3 respondents feel that the housing situation negatively impacts their ability to hire and retain employees and this issue was mentioned frequently when asked about additional resources that are needed.
• Providing health insurance for employees continues to be a challenge.
• Companies throughout Eagle County provide a variety of workforce wellness options and the percentage of businesses offering various options has generally increased or remained steady over the past three years. Common workplace wellness offerings include access to fitness options during the work day, accommodation for breastfeeding, reduced or free access to exercise facilities, and incentives for healthy behaviors.  Eagle County businesses looking to incorporate wellness into their working environments can take advantage of free and low-cost technical assistance and resources through Health Links, which can help businesses identify wellness options that fit their needs.  For more information about Health Links in Eagle County, contact Laura Emrich at laura.emrich@healthlinkscolorado.org.
• Businesses that report plans to expand and/or diversify are the same as in 2014-15, but are higher than they have been during the 2013-14 or 2012-13 survey years.
• The percentage of businesses that pay more than other parts of the state has stayed steady when compared to the previous year, and those that pay less increased slightly.

View the 2016 Eagle County Workforce Survey Report, and all prior year’s reports here.