Hiring is still hard. What local owners are doing about it.
Nearly 9 in 10 small businesses trying to hire report few or no qualified applicants. Pay, schedules and the perks that actually work.
The job market is cooling, but not for the small business owner trying to fill a shift. In September 2026, 87% of owners who were hiring or trying to hire said they found few or no qualified applicants, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). One in five owners got no qualified applicants at all.
The numbers
- 32% of small business owners had job openings they couldn’t fill in September, 8 points above the long-run average.
- 26% named labor quality or availability their single biggest problem, more than double the historical average of 12%.
- Only 6% named labor cost as their biggest problem, the lowest since December 2020.
- A net 28% raised pay in September, and a net 20% plan to raise it in the next three months.
Openings for unskilled roles rose to 16%, while openings for skilled workers fell to 27%. “Overall employment conditions are softening, though the small business labor market is still tighter than normal,” said NFIB chief economist Bill Dunkelberg.
So the problem isn’t that workers cost too much. It’s finding people who show up and can do the work.
What’s working for local owners
- Post the pay. Listings with a clear hourly range get more applicants. Several states also require pay ranges in job ads.
- Sell the schedule. For cleaners, cooks and crew members, a predictable schedule often matters more than another dollar an hour. Fixed routes and posted schedules two weeks ahead help with retention.
- Hire for reliability, train the skill. Most service work can be taught in a week. A short paid working interview shows who shows up on time.
- Pay referral bonuses. Your best workers know other good workers. A bonus paid after the new hire’s first 60 or 90 days costs less than a job board.
- Make day one easy. Run payroll and onboarding paperwork through a tool like Gusto so new hires can sign forms on their phone before their first shift.
- Get the classification right. If you set the hours, supply the equipment and direct the work, the IRS likely considers that person an employee, not a contractor. Our cleaning business guide covers the rules for a first hire.
January minimum wage increases in at least 11 states will push entry pay up again. See which states rise on January 1.
This article is general information, not legal or HR advice.
Sources: NFIB, September 2026 Jobs Report · NFIB, July 2026 Jobs Report