PROVIDENCE – Polaris MEP, which stands for Manufacturing Extension Partnership, has launched a “2-Q Poll” survey series to solicit feedback from the manufacturing industry in Rhode Island via two questions on timely topic each month.
Results of the January survey were recently released, in which manufacturers were asked how many employees they currently have working in Rhode Island and how companies expect their staffing levels to change in their Rhode Island operations over the next three months.
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Some of the poll’s key insights, according to Polaris:
- The average number of Rhode Island-based workers at companies responding was 72, with a median number of 31.
- More than half, or 56%, of respondents anticipated increasing their employee count, with only 1% reducing it a little.
- A workforce number change is more likely to happen in companies with 20-99 employees, or between 250-499 employees.
- In the Composites manufacturing sector, about 60% of respondents predict increasing their worker count “by a lot.” More than half of companies responding in each of the other industry sectors, except for Chemical & Plastics, foresee adding at least “a little” to their employee count in the next three months’ time.
Polaris said that respondents had a mostly positive outlook for the next three months.
The purpose of the survey, said Polaris Marketing Manager Erin Read, is to help Polaris better serve the state’s small and midsized manufacturing businesses, with data shared with lawmakers and other stakeholders so they can better understand the sector.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
