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SUBJECT: COVID-19 BUSINESS IMPACT FOLLOW-UP SURVEY RESULTS
<br />DATE: MAY 21, 2021
<br />PAGE2OF5
<br />about the same" since moving to Level Yellow. Respondents were asked to rate the
<br />City's reaction and policies to the pandemic as well as efforts for the re -opening
<br />process. 32.33%, or 29 respondents, said the City's reaction was "very good"; 23.22%,
<br />or 21, rated the City's reaction as "excellent."
<br />A significant pandemic impact has been on employment, so the survey tool attempted to
<br />gain insights into current employment levels and how that might change in 2021. The
<br />majority of businesses responding, 27.78% or 25, currently have between 2 and 4
<br />employees. 55.56%, or 50 respondents, stated that the total number of employees for
<br />their Louisville business had remained about the same during the pandemic.
<br />Additionally, 53.33%, or 48 respondents, stated that they expect the number of
<br />employees to remain about the same for their Louisville business between now and the
<br />end of 2021.
<br />When asked what changes employers made to staffing levels, hours, wages, and
<br />benefits at their Louisville business since March 1, 2020, the majority of respondents
<br />said: reduced employee hours (44.94%, 40), no changes to staffing levels, wages, &
<br />benefits (26.97%, 24), and furloughed workers (25.84%, 23). For those that indicated
<br />they had made changes, 35.71 %, or 30 respondents, said the changes are anticipated
<br />to be temporary (only through the duration of COVID-19).
<br />In addition to employment changes, the survey sought to gather insight about the most
<br />significant impacts and adaptations businesses made as a result of the pandemic.
<br />When asked to share which impacts their business had experienced since last March,
<br />the most common responses included: decrease in sales or revenue (65.56%, 59),
<br />increased operating expenses (48.89%, 44), and difficulty getting needed inventory or
<br />supplies (44.44%, 40). The results convey that businesses experienced financial
<br />hardship in several areas —not just declines in sales, but higher costs and difficult in
<br />conducting normal operations. Businesses were also asked about the changes they
<br />have had to make in response to COVID-19; the top three responses all revolved
<br />around public health orders and mitigation strategies. The majority of respondents said
<br />they had added new cleaning protocols (90.11%, 82), required social distancing of
<br />workers or customers (87.91 %, 80), and provided PPE for employees (81.32%, 74).
<br />Many businesses are now starting to look forward into a period of recovery. While there
<br />remain many unknowns, businesses are starting to contemplate how operations may
<br />continue to evolve. When asked what changes to business operations they expected to
<br />continue after the pandemic, respondents mostly frequently said health screening
<br />procedures (34.83%, 31), more virtual meetings (33.71 %, 30), and increased online
<br />sales (28.09%, 25).
<br />Louisville's efforts to provide business support throughout the pandemic has been
<br />influenced by the feedback received from local business and commercial property
<br />owners. Businesses responding to the survey indicated the most used types of
<br />Agenda Packet P. 7
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