Two-thirds of Iowa Business Council members expect higher sales in the next six months, the organization reported based on its quarterly survey.

Sixty percent said they expect to add workforce. Half plan higher capital spending. 

As has been the case in previous surveys, a large share — 80 percent — said finding and keeping workers was their biggest challenge. IBC has chosen to address the talent pipeline as a priority for this year. The group supports legislation to fund Future Ready Iowa and other efforts to train skilled workers and increase education levels. 

“We continue to hear how the state’s workforce shortage constrains growth not only for our members, but for businesses in every corner of our state,” said IBC Executive Director Georgia Van Gundy. “It is crucial that we remove barriers keeping Iowans from entering the workforce or up-skilling. Future Ready Iowa provides communities with a road map to tackle their regions’ challenges, and the Last Dollar Scholarship and Employer Innovation Fund are both important tools that these communities will be able to use to build their talent pipeline.”

A third of the council members listed taxes and regulations as barriers to growth, and the group has called for the state to review those areas.

Read the full survey.