Despite concerns about wages and costs the latest Business NSW Business Conditions Survey reveals business sentiment on the Central Coast continues to improve.
“It’s encouraging to see such a strong improvement in the Business Confidence Index for the Central Coast,” Regional Director Scott Goold said.
“At the beginning of the year, we had the lowest score in the state at -70.6.
“We’re finishing the year third highest at -31.8.”
Goold said forecasted business confidence for quarter one 2025 was -6.8.
“The Business Confidence Index across NSW has not been in positive territory since June 2021 so this quarter one forecast for the Central Coast is very significant,” he said.
“Central Coast businesses continue to show a high level of resilience and optimism despite the increased cost and complexity of doing business.”
Goold said wages had overtaken energy costs as one of the top concerns for businesses, highlighting the escalating pressure of rising labour expenses.
Coupled with rising insurance premiums and taxes, wage pressures have signalled a shift in priorities as employers grapple with a tight labour market.
The survey reveals the top three business cost concerns for Central Coast businesses are now insurance costs, wages and supplier costs.
Energy costs have slipped to fifth place – with taxpayer-funded subsidies having an impact on energy bills.
“Businesses are also feeling the pinch as customers negotiate prices and cut back on spending,” Goold said.
The survey found 45 per cent of Central Coast businesses are facing increased price negotiations, 43 per cent are seeing a decrease in frequency of purchases, and 39 per cent are waiting longer for invoices to be paid.
“Businesses are already under pressure from rising operational costs and now, with delayed payments becoming more common, it’s even harder for them to stay afloat,” Goold said.
“Nearly 40 per cent of businesses are now waiting longer for invoices to be settled, which means they have less cash flow to cover their own expenses.
“For small businesses, this delay could be the difference between staying open or closing their doors.”
The report says the top three business challenges are financial management, staff management and strategic planning.
Customer demand remains weak, with 43 per cent reporting fewer purchases and 41 per cent seeing smaller order sizes.
Additionally, 45 per cent are facing more price negotiation, and 16 per cent are seeing increased demand for lower-cost substitutes.
As far as staffing goes, 39 per cent of businesses are maintaining the same headcount and 39 per cent are hiring additional staff.
Nearly 66 per cent of businesses are operating below full capacity, highlighting significant opportunities for improvement and efficiency gains.
Goold said the findings showed small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) were facing significant challenges and needed more government focus.
Business NSW is calling on the NSW Government to: implement reforms to the Emergency Services Levy to reduce the mark-up on insurance premiums for SMEs; continue to remove barriers that prevent SMEs from dealing direct with the NSW Government; join the fight against inflation by ensuring public sector wage increases are matched to productivity gains; streamline the recognition of reputable qualifications attained overseas; and ensure that all invoices, both government and non-government, are paid within agreed timeframes.
Be the first to comment on "Confidence growing but small businesses need help"