- The economy in Östergötland has slowed down, even though the business cycle indicator is comparatively fairly stable.
The companies in the county experience somewhat worse opportunities to grow in the future compared with the country as a whole.
The main obstacle to growth for small businesses in Östergötland County is the lack of suitable labor.
The companies are also very clear that they are worried about labor costs, says Frida Boklund, regional manager of Företagarna Östergötland, in the press release.
In the past year, the county has the lowest economic indicator (see fact box) since the financial crisis of 2008–2009. During the pandemic, most parameters have slowed down. But as the situation regarding covid-19 brightens, so do small businesses' hopes for the future: They expect to see increased order intake, employment and profitability over the next twelve months.