The small companies with up to 49 employees have had a tough time during the pandemic.

In the survey Small Business Barometer, which the Entrepreneurs conducted in collaboration with Swedbank and the Savings Banks, 4,000 entrepreneurs throughout the country were asked.

It turns out that the business cycle indicator, which indicates the temperature in the business cycle, fell to absolutely frozen minus 15 - the lowest level measured.

The year before, it was 37.

Tough for companies in the county

Entrepreneurs on Gotland, in Värmland and in Jönköping have experienced it the worst.

In Jönköping County, the economic situation over the past twelve months has been worse than during the financial crisis of 2007-2008, with a cyclical indicator of minus 36.

- Whatever we deliver from the companies in the county, we are export dependent, so the pandemic with lock-downs in different markets and difficulties with transport has affected us enormously, says Frida Boklund.

Since then, companies in the hotel and restaurant industry in the county, where there are many small businesses, have also been hit extremely hard during the pandemic.

Optimism for the coming year

But for the next twelve months, there is hope and small businesses in the county see a brighter future.

Entrepreneurs hope that society can be opened up more and more and that the international logistics chains will start operating as usual again.

The combined forecast in the county for employment, order intake and sales shows a sharp rise with a business cycle indicator of 87.

Is there anything that could change this optimism that exists right now?

- It is that we can not slowly but surely start to open up society again and get a calm game plan to do business, says Frida Boklund.