Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 18 November to 1 December 2024

These questions are for Wave 121 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 18 November 2024. These are the most up-to-date survey questions.

Which of the following statements best describes your business's trading status?

• Currently fully trading

• Currently partially trading

• Paused trading but intends to restart in the next two weeks

• Paused trading and does not intend to restart in the next two weeks

• Permanently ceased trading

Is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?

• Yes

• No         

• Not sure

• Not applicable   

Why is your business using, or intending to use, increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?          

• Ability to better match jobs to skills

• Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool in the UK

• Ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool internationally

• Improved staff wellbeing

• Increased productivity

• Reduced carbon emissions

• Reduced overheads

• Reduced sickness absence

• Reduced wage bill

• Other

• Not sure             

Why is your business not intending to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model going forward?  

• Concerns with integrating new starters into the workplace

• Costs of employee equipment

• Difficulties managing staff remotely

• Negative impact on working culture

• Not suitable for our business

• Reduced communication

• Reduced productivity

• Reduced reliability and retention of staff

• Security concerns

• Other

• Not sure             

Which, if any, of the following skills has your business had a high demand for in the last 12 months?

• Advanced digital skills

• Basic digital skills

• Customer service skills

• Management or leadership skills

• Manual skills

• Transferable skills

• Other

• None of the above

Which, if any, of the following skills does your workforce require extra support or training in?

• Advanced digital skills

• Basic digital skills

• Customer service skills

• Management or leadership skills

• Manual skills

• Transferable skills

• Other

• None of the above

On average, how did employees' hourly wages in October 2024 compare with employees' hourly wages in the previous calendar month?            

• Wages increased

• Wages stayed the same

• Wages decreased

• Not sure

How have your business's staffing costs changed over the last three months?

• Costs have increased

• Costs have stayed the same

• Costs have decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable   

How does your business expect staffing costs to change over the next three months?

• Costs will increase

• Costs will stay the same

• Costs will decrease

• Not sure

• Not applicable   

Which of the following challenges, if any, has your business experienced due to a shortage of workers?

• Business had to pause trading entirely

• Business had to recruit temporary workers

• Employees worked increased hours

• Had to pause trading of some of the business

• Unable to meet demands

• Other

• Not sure

• Business has not experienced any challenges due to a shortage of workers              

Which of the following employees, if any, did your business have difficulties recruiting in October 2024?

• Clerical employees

• Professional or managerial employees

• Semi-skilled or unskilled employees

• Skilled, manual or technical employees

• Other

• Not sure

• Business did not experience any difficulties in recruiting employees

Why did your business experience difficulties recruiting employees in October 2024?

• Business cannot offer an attractive pay package to applicants

• Increased number of vacancies

• Lack of qualified applicants for the roles on offer

• Low number of applications for the roles on offer

• Reduced number of applicants aged 16 to 24 years

• Reduced number of applicants aged over 50 years

• Reduced number of EU applicants

• Other

• Not sure

Does your business have a probation policy in place for new employees?

• Yes

• No         

• Not sure             

How long is a typical probationary period for new employees at your business?

• More than 12 months

• 10 to 12 months

• 7 to 9 months

• 4 to 6 months

• 3 months or fewer

• Not sure

Does your business currently employ anyone on any of the following contracts?  

• Agency contract

• Casual contract

• Fixed term contract

• Minimum hours contract

• Seasonal contract

• Variable hours contract

• Zero hours contract

• None of the above

Approximately, what percentage of your business's workforce are employed under a variable hours contract?

• More than 75%

• Between 50% and 75%

• Between 25% and 49%

• Less than 25%

• Not sure

Has your business gone through a collective redundancy consultation in the last 12 months?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Approximately, how many redundancies did your business make following this collective redundancy consultation process?

• More than 120

• Between 100 and 119

• Between 60 and 99

• Between 20 and 59

• Between 1 and 19

• Not sure

Approximately, how many redundancies was your business considering before the collective redundancy consultation process?

• More than 120

• Between 100 and 119

• Between 60 and 99

• Between 20 and 59

• Between 1 and 19

• Not sure

Has your business used, accepted, or conducted any transactions involving cryptocurrencies in the last 12 months?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Does your business currently hold any cryptocurrencies as part of its assets?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

Which of the following occupational groups best represents your position at your business?

• Administrative and secretarial occupations

• Associate professional occupations

• Caring, leisure and other service occupations

• Elementary occupations

• Managers, directors and senior officials

• Process, plant and machine operatives

• Professional occupations

• Sales and customer service occupations

• Skilled trades occupations

• Other

• Prefer not to say

Please tell us anything else about your business's current situation relating to topics covered in this survey

• Comments