Two-thirds of small-business owners worry that continued spikes in the coronavirus will either force them to close down operations again or, for those who haven’t reopened from the recent economic shutdown, remain closed, according to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce poll.
The level of concern about shutting down is particularly high, 85%, for businesses that suffered through the economic shutdown earlier in the year and then struggled to reopen.
The potential for shutting down has prompted owners to reevaluate staffing and future layoffs, purchase supplies so they can remain open for as long as possible, and increase their online presence, for instance by boosting online payment options.
A majority of small-business owners, 56%, also want federal guidance on reopening as it remains unclear what procedures are needed to keep operations going. That percentage is up from June’s 48%.
“Main Street needs assurances from Washington that small business will remain a priority in rebuilding America’s economy,” said Tom Sullivan, the Chamber’s vice president of small business policy, when the poll was released. “It’s a long road to recovery, and these businesses are being tested like never before.”
Small businesses may be tested for quite a while, according to the poll. More than half of owners believe it will take six months to a year before the economy gets back to normal. An additional 7% think things will never return to normal.
The spikes in the virus has more business owners deeming the economy to be in “very poor” health compared to late May, when stores began reopening, at 24% versus 18% in May.
