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Unfilled job openings, courtesy of NFIB.
Unfilled job openings, courtesy of NFIB.
NFIB reports rise in small business job openings in June
ColoradoBiz Staff //July 2, 2026//
In Brief:
- NFIB Small Business Employment Index steady at 100.2
- 32% of small businesses report unfilled job openings
- Net 11% of owners plan new jobs over next three months
- 19% of owners cite labor quality as top business problem
DENVER — Small business job openings increased in June, while hiring plans and employment levels remained near historical averages, according to the latest jobs report from the National Federation of Independent Business.
The NFIB Small Business Employment Index was essentially unchanged at 100.2 in June, compared with 100.3 in May. The reading remained below the 2025 average of 101.2 but slightly above the historical average of 100.0.
The share of small business owners reporting job openings they could not fill rose to 32%, up 3 percentage points from May. Twenty-seven percent reported openings for skilled workers, unchanged from the previous month, while 12% reported openings for unskilled workers, up 3 percentage points.
“Main Street job openings are starting to pick up after a decline in May,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “While more small businesses are looking to hire, many owners still cannot find qualified workers.”
A net 11% of owners plan to create new jobs over the next three months, up 2 percentage points from May and in line with the historical average.
Overall, 62% of owners reported hiring or attempting to hire in June, up 7 percentage points from May. Among those hiring, 84% said they received few or no qualified applicants. Twenty-seven percent reported few qualified applicants and 24% reported none.
Labor quality or availability was identified as the top business problem by 19% of owners, up 6 percentage points from May. Meanwhile, 8% cited labor costs as their biggest concern, down 6 percentage points from May’s record high.
Compensation pressures also eased. A net 28% of owners reported raising compensation in June, down 3 percentage points from May and the lowest level this year. A net 17% plan to increase compensation over the next three months, down 1 percentage point from May.
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