Latest Idaho Business Insider Survey Finds Executives Favoring Higher Wages to Attract Skilled Workers

Boise, ID — The 2015 first quarterly Idaho Business Insider survey is now available. It finds Idaho business owners and executives generally favorably disposed to raising the state’s minimum wage. With Idaho ranked among the lowest in the nation for average wages along with sluggish wage growth in recent years, survey respondents acknowledge the necessity of paying competitive wages to attract and retain qualified talent.

Said one respondent: “As the availability of skilled workers in the workforce gets tighter, starting salaries increase. We try to offer a competitive or slightly higher benefit package to reduce turnover and retraining, which also is a high cost to a business.”

Made possible by continuing financial support from Stoel Rives LLP, the Business Insider survey polls local business owners, CEOs and other business leaders on the economy, business climate and other business issues relevant to Idaho's business community. The Business Insider and the Idaho Statesman maintain full editorial control of the survey. 

The survey draws on the responses of 12 participants, five of whom are new for 2015: Ken Cortez, Co-owner and Vice President, Metalcraft Inc.; Rob Perez, President, Northwest Bank; Bill Gilbert, Co-Founder & Managing Director, The CAPROCK Group, Inc.; Jim Kissler, CEO, Norco, Inc.; Raino Zoller, President & CEO, pSiFlow Technology; Andrew Scoggin, Executive VP, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Public and Governmental Affairs, Albertsons; Karen Vauk, President & CEO, The Idaho Foodbank; Bob Lokken, CEO, WhiteCloud Analytics; Zelda Geyer-Sylvia, President & CEO, Blue Cross of Idaho; Darrel Anderson, President & CEO, Idaho Power; Karen Meyer, President, Ravenware Consulting; Matt Rissell, CEO, TSheets.