BICS weighted Scotland estimates: data to wave 133

Latest main findings for businesses with 10+ employees and a presence in Scotland

• in the period 19 May to 1 June 2025, staffing costs had increased over the last three months for an estimated 77.1% of businesses; the highest percentage experiencing an increase in the time series, and around 20 percentage points higher than in the equivalent period last year
• the Accommodation & Food Services sector had the highest share of businesses experiencing increases in staffing costs over the last three months - an estimated 89.7% of businesses in the sector
• an estimated 42.6% of businesses are expecting staffing costs to increase in the next three months, down from 67.9% that had expected increases in the next three months when asked in February 2025
• the most common plan to adapt to any future rises in employment costs was to increase prices, with an estimated 45.0% of businesses planning to do this if costs increased
• an estimated 13.8% of businesses are using or intend to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model, rising to 68.5% of businesses in the Information & Communication sector
• improved staff wellbeing was the most common reason for businesses using or intending to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model – an estimated 79.6% of such businesses gave this as a reason
• US tariffs had some impact on an estimated 11.3% of businesses in the last month, while 13.4% expected to be impacted next month

Note that the next BICS Scotland publication, with data to Wave 134, is scheduled for release on Thursday 26 June 2025.