Economic Data
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Summary & Highlights

Index Reaches Pandemic-Era High, but Inflation Concerns Grow

Woman typing on a laptop

The MetLife & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index reaches a new pandemic-era high this quarter, but many small businesses report struggling with surging inflation and persistent supply chain issues.

This quarter’s Small Business Index score is 64.1, the highest score since the start of the pandemic. This score is consistent with last quarter’s score of 63.0. (The low point of the pandemic was reached in 2020 Q2 when the score reached 39.5). This score comes after a tumultuous 2021, where the Index fluctuated more than usual, though ultimately it ended with increased optimism relative to the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

The survey was conducted between January 14 - January 26, 2022 in the wake of the Omicron variant. COVID-19 remains a persistent challenge, but the underlying challenges, namely inflation and supply chain issues, are top of mind for most small businesses.

33%
cite inflation costs as the primary concern facing the small business community
33%
cite inflation costs as the primary concern facing the small business community
Gauge showing 64.1 for the Small Business Index
Q1 2022 SBI:64.1
This quarter’s Small Business Index score is 64.1, the highest score since the start of the pandemic. This score is consistent with last quarter’s score of 63.0.

Over the last three quarters, inflationary costs and supply chain issues have become more challenging according to small business owners. One in three small business owners (33%) cite inflation costs as the primary concern facing the small business community, a 10 percentage point increase from last quarter. Small businesses are taking action on inflation. A vast majority (67%) report having to raise prices to combat inflation. Similarly, one in four say supply chain issues (26%) are a top challenge.

Overall, the SBI remains stable, with small business owners feeling generally optimistic about their day-to-day operations and expectations for the future. Similar to last quarter, about three in five (61%) small businesses owners say their business is in good health. Perceptions of the local and national economy have begun to stabilize when compared to early 2021.

Challenges due to “The Great Resignation” take a backseat to inflation and supply chain issues, but still pose a big challenge. A majority of small businesses are concerned about improving employee retention (57%) and recruiting enough employees to fill open positions (56%) at their business. The impact of The Great Resignation is felt more acutely among the largest small businesses (those with 20-499 employees).

Small Business Index Score 2018 Q2 - 2022 Q1

Small Business Index Score 2018 Q2 - 2022 Q1 line graph

Small business owners have consistently ranked COVID-19 safety protocols and compliance as a top-tier challenge over the last three quarters (ranging from 21%-24%). As the pandemic continues, small business owners are in a holding pattern over when the small business climate will return to normal. A majority (51%) believe it will be six months to one year. This is in line with the share who said the same nearly a year ago (54% in Q2 2021).

51%
of small business owners believe the small business climate will return to normal within six months to a year
51%
of small business owners believe the small business climate will return to normal within six months to a year
“Due to inflation, we’ve chosen to accept reduced net margins in the short term to ensure our employees can make ends meet. In the fall of 2021, we took the unprecedented step of reevaluating wages a second time in the same year, resulting in average pay increases of over 10% for our employees. Our investment in our team has strengthened employee and customer loyalty.”
Spencer Ferguson, CEO
Wasatch I.T. Salt Lake City, UT

Index Highlights

The MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index score for Q1 is 64.1. The Index score for Q4 2021 was 63.0. In Q2 2020 it reached an all-time low of 39.5.1

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Index rises to pandemic-era high.

The MetLife & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index rose to 64.1 this quarter from 63.0 last quarter. This score remains below findings before the pandemic began (the score was 71.7 in Q1 2020).
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Small businesses see inflation as biggest issue.

One in three (33%) now rank inflation as the biggest challenge facing the small business community, marking a 10 percentage point increase compared to Q4 2021 and a 14 percentage point increase since Q3 2021.
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Small businesses raise prices to fight inflation.

To cope with the impacts of rising inflation, small business owners are having to adjust. The vast majority (67%) report having to raise their prices to cope with inflation.
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Retailers most likely to raise prices.

Small retailers are more likely to report increasing the prices of their goods and services (80%) than those in professional services (68%), manufacturing (65%), and services (56%).
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Small businesses see supply chains as second biggest challenge.

More small business owners cite supply chain issues as the biggest problem facing the small business community, when compared to late 2021 (26%, up 8 percentage points from Q4 2021).
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A majority of small businesses are concerned about rising interest rates.

Nearly three in ten (29%) small businesses are very concerned about rising interest rates. Overall, seven in ten small businesses are concerned about the impact rising interest rates will have on their business.
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Small businesses are consistently optimistic.

Small business owners remain about as optimistic about their business as they were last quarter. About three in five small business owners say their business is in good health (61%).
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Most have implemented changes to retain staff.

A majority (60%) of small businesses report their business has implemented new changes over the past year to improve employee retention. This includes increasing schedule flexibility (37%) and wages (31%) as well as providing employees with more opportunities to learn/grow (29%).
Learn more
#

Index rises to pandemic-era high.

The MetLife & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index rose to 64.1 this quarter from 63.0 last quarter. This score remains below findings before the pandemic began (the score was 71.7 in Q1 2020).
Learn more
#

Small businesses see inflation as biggest issue.

One in three (33%) now rank inflation as the biggest challenge facing the small business community, marking a 10 percentage point increase compared to Q4 2021 and a 14 percentage point increase since Q3 2021.
Learn more
#

Small businesses raise prices to fight inflation.

To cope with the impacts of rising inflation, small business owners are having to adjust. The vast majority (67%) report having to raise their prices to cope with inflation.
Learn more
#

Retailers most likely to raise prices.

Small retailers are more likely to report increasing the prices of their goods and services (80%) than those in professional services (68%), manufacturing (65%), and services (56%).
Learn more
#

Small businesses see supply chains as second biggest challenge.

More small business owners cite supply chain issues as the biggest problem facing the small business community, when compared to late 2021 (26%, up 8 percentage points from Q4 2021).
Learn more
#

A majority of small businesses are concerned about rising interest rates.

Nearly three in ten (29%) small businesses are very concerned about rising interest rates. Overall, seven in ten small businesses are concerned about the impact rising interest rates will have on their business.
Learn more
#

Small businesses are consistently optimistic.

Small business owners remain about as optimistic about their business as they were last quarter. About three in five small business owners say their business is in good health (61%).
Learn more
#

Most have implemented changes to retain staff.

A majority (60%) of small businesses report their business has implemented new changes over the past year to improve employee retention. This includes increasing schedule flexibility (37%) and wages (31%) as well as providing employees with more opportunities to learn/grow (29%).
Learn more
1. Since we moved to monthly (or near-monthly) tracking for much of 2020, the Index ratings for Q2 2020 and Q3 2020 are based on an average of responses from all surveys in that quarter. The Q3 2020 Index was calculated based on 1,100 interviews from the July and September surveys. The Q2 Index was calculated based on 1,500 interviews from the April, May, and June surveys. From Q4 2020 to the present, the Index score was calculated based on a single survey of approximately 750 interviews per quarter. While significant changes in data points from Q1 2020 to the pandemic-era quarters can largely be attributed to the recent economic environment, switching from a phone to online approach may have also generated a mode effect.