Final few days to complete key Chamber survey

There are just a few days left to complete Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce's Quarterly Business Report survey for Q2.

Each participant will also be entered into prize draw, with the chance to win Sunday lunch for four in the Terrace Restaurant at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Solihull. Click here for more details (terms and conditions apply).

The survey for the second quarter closes on Monday 5 June.

On average, the survey takes less than five minutes to complete.

Last quarter 's survey revealed that 68 per cent of firms attempted to recruit, which marks a seven per cent increase on the final quarter of 2022.

Regional employment statistics also demonstrate positive trends in hiring activity, with the employment rate for the West Midlands rising by 0.3 per cent to 74.0 per cent between November 2022 and January 2023.

However, 68 per cent of firms experienced difficulties when recruiting, with an eight per cent decrease in the number of permanent roles being recruited for compared to the final quarter of 2022.

Concerns about inflation increased to 37 per cent and proved to be far more pertinent than other external factors such as competition and exchange rates.

Gemma Dilkes, policy and projects officer at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “I would like to strongly encourage as many local businesses as possible to complete this quarter 's survey so that we can continue to be as well-informed as possible about firms ' experiences of current business trends. ”

“The research data we collect is crucial for helping the GBCC Policy Team to be as well-informed as possible about our members ' needs, challenges and experiences, so that we can plan our policy and campaigning activity accordingly and for maximum benefit to the local community ”.

The data from the Quarterly Business Report is communicated to key stakeholders such as the Bank of England and Government Ministers, to ensure that West Midlands businesses ' needs are considered in national policymaking.

To complete the Q2 survey, click this link. Upon completion, all respondents can enter our prize draw to win a Sunday Lunch for four people in the Terrace Restaurant at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Solihull.