CIRAS Survey UPDATE: Business Impacts of COVID-19

• Jeff Eckhoff
June 12, 2020 — As COVID-19 proliferates across our nation, the crisis continues to negatively impact our economy and spark concerns for the future of small and medium-sized businesses. CIRAS has been conducting a phone survey so we can better understand the needs of Iowa companies and better connect them to appropriate resources.
Here is what we’ve learned so far:

 

Top takeaways from the survey

  • The proportion of businesses operating at reduced capacity continues to increase due to reduced demand, COVID-19 safety concerns, and a negative outlook for the economy.
  • Concerns about employee well-being and international supply chain difficulties are on the rise.
  • Businesses continue to seek assistance with COVID-19 testing, protecting employees at work, and finance, along with other topics such as cleaning supplies and restoring lost revenue.

CIRAS Helpline

If your business is impacted by COVID-19, CIRAS can provide no-cost assistance to help you understand your next steps. CIRAS has set up teams to help companies with HR, supply chain, safety, and other challenges. 

For help contact our helpline: ciras.info@iastate.edu or Shankar Srinivasan (515-290-6702, srigshan@iastate.edu).

Additional information: www.ciras.iastate.edu/COVID-19.