Survey of Kentucky businesses details what employers expect as economy reopens

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce surveyed 443 businesses across the Commonwealth in attempts to illustrate the virus’s impact on our business community. The Chamber invited businesses from across the state to provide their feedback over a 10-day period from April 10-April 20, 2020. The majority of responses came from small businesses with more than 65 percent of surveys submitted from companies with less than 50 employees.

The industries best represented in the survey were manufacturing and professional services, which accounted for 19 and 18 percent of responses, respectively. Other industries represented were retail, health care, hospitality/tourism, non-profits, distribution/logistics, energy, and education/government.

Businesses were asked about what challenges they expect in returning to work, what is needed to restart operations, the expected impacts within their own business if shutdown measures are extended, if they support a phased-in approach to reopening Kentucky’s economy, when they believe the economy should open up, and more.

The Chamber is releasing the results of this survey as part of the organization’s “Restart Kentucky: A Responsible Plan for Returning to Work” initiative which seeks to provide education, guidance, policy recommendations, connect job seekers with employers and recommend best practices to prepare business to restart the economy.

View the full survey report below or download the report here: