Long Island CEOs say affordability, commuting are hurdles to hiring, retaining workers

Long Island’s ever-rising cost of living, shortage of affordable homes, lack of skilled workers and long commuting times are making it difficult for employers to hire and retain employees, according to a new poll released Thursday.

Of the 311 business executives who participated in the annual Long Island Economic Survey, 78% said the region’s high costs, excluding housing, are a very serious or somewhat serious impediment to attracting and keeping workers. Only 3% said the cost of living wasn’t a problem for them.

The lack of affordable housing was the No. 2 challenge for companies, in terms of maintaining their workforce, with 69% of CEOs saying it’s a very serious or somewhat serious problem. Only 7% said housing affordability wasn’t an issue.

"While they continue to praise the region’s quality of life, business leaders cite housing availability, affordability and transportation challenges as serious impediments to doing business and retaining young talent," said Don Levy, director of the Siena Research Institute outside of Albany.

The poll was conducted between Sept. 23 and Nov. 25 by Siena and PKF O’Connor Davies accountants. The results were released Thursday at a breakfast event in Woodbury before an audience of about 300 business, nonprofit and political leaders.

Steve Griffith, president of Nationwide 360 in Hauppauge, said the survey findings mirror his experience in trying to recruit workers.

"It's been a challenge to find people. ... We're competing with companies from around the country and the cost of health care and salaries are major factors," he said before the start of Thursday's event.

Nationwide, which designs and manufactures trade-show exhibits, has 30 employees and is trying to fill three openings, Griffith added.

Bill Weismiller, an account executive for SiteOne Landscape Supply Inc., said changes to the federal H-2B visa program have reduced the number of skilled foreign workers that his company can employ in the spring and summer. Georgia-based SiteOne has eight locations on Long Island through its 2016 purchase of Bissett Nursery and Bissett Equipment Companies. 

"We have about 100 employees on Long Island but that grows to 160 or so in the peak season," Weismiller said in an interview. "We've been hiring younger, inexperienced people because we can no longer reliably get skilled workers from overseas who know our customers because they've been serving them for years."

Results of the PKF-Siena poll revealed that nearly 6 in 10 executives believed the region's shortage of skilled laborers was a very serious or a somewhat serious problem. Only 9% said it wasn't an issue for them. 

In a panel discussion about the survey's results, Stacey Sikes, vice president of the Long Island Association business group, and Rep. Tom Suozzi both said training programs and apprenticeships are plentiful in Nassau and Suffolk counties but there is little coordination with employers.

Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) said he had scheduled a meeting for later in the day with more than 60 local groups to discuss developing a database of job openings and skills-training programs.

In terms of transportation, nearly 8 in 10 CEOs said high commuting costs and long commuting times make Long Island a less attractive place to work. Six in 10 said a lack of public transportation and reliable bus and shuttle connections from Long Island Rail Road stations are problems that need to be addressed by governments.

Although the poll results don't show the rising cost of health care as a barrier to attracting and retaining workers, Jeff Davoli, a PKF partner based in Hauppauge, said his clients are grappling with "skyrocketing costs and how much to pass along to their employees. It's a difficult balancing act," he said in an interview after moderating the panel discussion.

Levy, the pollster, said the survey result that surprised him the most is one that showed an increase in pessimism about Long Island's economic future. Only 37% of CEOs predicted the local economy would turn in a better performance this year than in 2025, a drop of 17 percentage points from the 2024 poll. 

"There is a retrenchment of spirit on the Island," he said.

By James T. Madore

james.madore@newsday.comJamesTMadore

James T. Madore writes about Long Island business news including the economy, development, and the relationship between government and business. He previously served as Albany bureau chief.