Small businesses still struggle to find enough workers

By MAE ANDERSON
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Some small businesses are still struggling to hire qualified workers, even as the broader picture in the U.S. job market looks much brighter. Hiring and retaining employees remains the top challenge for small businesses, according to a survey by Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Voices. Ninety percent of businesses that are hiring are finding it difficult to recruit qualified candidates for open positions. Smaller businesses say they’re having trouble getting candidates to even apply for openings, particularly in the hard-hit leisure and hospitality industry. Owners are taking on more work themselves and improvising other ways to get by.