South Central Connecticut Economic Development Survey (CEDS)

South Central Connecticut Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Community Outreach

The purpose of the 2023-2028 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is to create a cohesive plan for the entire region to promote economic activity and prepare for potential economic disruptions. In this survey, we will address:

Recovery & Resilience
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Workforce Development
Technology-Based Economic Development
Environmentally-Sustainable Development
Exports & Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

Question Title

* 1. Please provide your contact information.

Name

Company

City/Town

Email Address

Phone Number

Question Title

* 2. Which of the following best describes the principal industry of your organization?

Question Title

* 3. Do you have a formal resiliency (work continuity) plan?

Yes

No, but one is in development

Question Title

* 4. What permanent changes (technological, policy, physical hardening, training, etc.) have you made to your business in the last five years? Please select all that apply.

No permanent changes

Online sales/ordering/services (e.g., telehealth)

Purchase pick-up

Purchase delivery

Touchless payments

Chatbot

Social media

Exclusive work from home

Hybrid work schedules

Workspace upgrades (HVAC, reconfigured layout, etc.)

Decreased office space

Increased office space for safety measures

Decreased hours of operations

Increased hours of operations

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 5. What changes (technological, policy, etc.) do you anticipate for your business in the next five years? Please select all that apply.

No significant changes

Online sales/ordering/services (e.g., telehealth)

Purchase pick-up

Purchase delivery

Drone delivery

Touchless payments

Chatbot

Social media

Exclusively work from home

Hybrid work schedules

Workspace upgrades (HVAC, reconfigured layout, etc.)

Decreased office space

Increased office space for safety measures

Increased use of technology

Transition to electric vehicles

Transition to more sustainable business practices

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 6. What are the most significant threats to your business? Please select all that apply.

Insufficient available workforce

Climate change

Cybersecurity

Increasing technology costs

Access to affordable high-speed broadband

Upskilling existing workforce

Cost of improving sustainability

Insufficient land for expansion

General inflation

Access to affordable space

Energy costs

Access to EV chargers

Inadequate mass transit service

Regulatory requirements

Access to capital

Supply chain disruption/locating alternative suppliers

Moving/shipping products

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. What support do you need to address these challenges? Please select all that apply.

Improved infrastructure - energy

Improved infrastructure - transportation

Improved infrastructure - broadband

Improved infrastructure - water

Improved infrastructure - sewers

Talent

Workforce training (new & existing employees)

Direct business assistance

Brownfield remediation

Professional assistance

Technical assistance

Child/eldercare assistance

Equitable access to healthcare

On-shoring of supply chain

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 8. Do you have a formal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy?

Yes

No, but one is in development

Question Title

* 9. Do you encounter barriers when trying to include underserved businesses/populations when making business decisions? If yes, please list the barriers.

Question Title

* 10. How has your workforce changed since the pandemic? Please select all that apply.

No change during the pandemic

Returned to pre-pandemic employment

Reduced due to skilled worker shortage

Reduced due to increasing costs of labor and/or supplies

Reduced due to decreased consumer demand

Increased

Increased with open positions

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 11. Have you/will you expand your workforce pool through policy change/additional accommodations? Please select all that apply.

Individuals who have previously been incarcerated

Individuals with different abilities

Schedule adjustments to accommodate childcare needs, transportation issues, etc.

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 12. Do you require employees to have proof of Covid-19 vaccination before physically returning to work?

Yes

Not applicable

Question Title

* 13. When do you anticipate this business returning to its pre-COVID level of operations?

There has been little or no effect on this business's pre-COVID level of operations

Within six months

More than six months

Unlikely to return to pre-COVID level of operations

This business is permanently closed

This business has a "new" normal level of operations

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 14. Do you anticipate this business will do any of the following in the next 1-5 years? Please select all that apply.

Adopt or expand the use of digital technologies

Change management practices

Change business strategies

Exit selected service lines

Introduce new service lines

Improve methods of producing goods or providing services

Improve methods of logistics, delivery, or distribution

Obtain financial assistance or additional capital

Identify new supply chain options

Develop online sales or websites

Hire additional employees

Make a capital expenditure

Cancel or postpone a planned capital expenditure

Identify potential markets for exporting goods or services

Permanently close this business

Develop new relationships with other business sectors

Implement environmentally sustainable practices

Increase purchasing of local or domestic goods

Utilize Opportunity Zones

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 15. How will you make your business more sustainable?

Question Title

* 16. Does your company have an international presence? Please select all that apply.

Export more than 25% of goods produced

Have direct foreign investment

Presently utilize the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ)

Have utilized the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) in the past

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 17. Would you like to be contacted for a one-on-one interview or join the CEDS Business Retention, Expansion, and Recruitment Committee? If yes, please provide your contact information.

Yes

Contact Information

South Central Connecticut Economic Development Survey (CEDS)

South Central Connecticut Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Community Outreach

Question Title

* 1. Please provide your contact information.

Question Title

* 2. Which of the following best describes the principal industry of your organization?

Question Title

* 3. Do you have a formal resiliency (work continuity) plan?

Question Title

* 4. What permanent changes (technological, policy, physical hardening, training, etc.) have you made to your business in the last five years? Please select all that apply.

Question Title

* 5. What changes (technological, policy, etc.) do you anticipate for your business in the next five years? Please select all that apply.

Question Title

* 6. What are the most significant threats to your business? Please select all that apply.

Question Title

* 7. What support do you need to address these challenges? Please select all that apply.

Question Title

* 8. Do you have a formal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy?

Question Title

* 9. Do you encounter barriers when trying to include underserved businesses/populations when making business decisions? If yes, please list the barriers.

Question Title

* 10. How has your workforce changed since the pandemic? Please select all that apply.

Question Title

* 11. Have you/will you expand your workforce pool through policy change/additional accommodations? Please select all that apply.

Question Title

* 12. Do you require employees to have proof of Covid-19 vaccination before physically returning to work?

Question Title

* 13. When do you anticipate this business returning to its pre-COVID level of operations?

Question Title

* 14. Do you anticipate this business will do any of the following in the next 1-5 years? Please select all that apply.

Question Title

* 15. How will you make your business more sustainable?

Question Title

* 16. Does your company have an international presence? Please select all that apply.

Question Title

* 17. Would you like to be contacted for a one-on-one interview or join the CEDS Business Retention, Expansion, and Recruitment Committee? If yes, please provide your contact information.

Question Title

* 18. Other Comments