In Australia, according to a survey conducted in December 2024, ** percent of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) planned to streamline their business operations to deal with the challenges posed by ongoing inflation and increasing costs in 2024. Only **** percent of SMEs planned to implement workforce reductions to recover costs.
Key decision makers/influencers at small and medium enterprises from all industry sectors across Australia responded to the survey. Data is weighted to reflect the distribution by industry, number of employees, and state.
Supplementary notes
Businesses with between 1-500 employees included in sample.
Original question: 'How is your business responding to the challenges posed by ongoing inflation and increasing costs?'.
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fifth quadrant. (January 10, 2025). Response of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to address ongoing economic challenges in Australia in December 2024 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 29, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1453336/australia-smes-response-to-economic-challenges/
fifth quadrant. "Response of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to address ongoing economic challenges in Australia in December 2024." Chart. January 10, 2025. Statista. Accessed June 29, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1453336/australia-smes-response-to-economic-challenges/
fifth quadrant. (2025). Response of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to address ongoing economic challenges in Australia in December 2024. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 29, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1453336/australia-smes-response-to-economic-challenges/
fifth quadrant. "Response of Small and Medium Enterprises (Smes) to Address Ongoing Economic Challenges in Australia in December 2024." Statista, Statista Inc., 10 Jan 2025, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1453336/australia-smes-response-to-economic-challenges/
fifth quadrant, Response of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to address ongoing economic challenges in Australia in December 2024 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1453336/australia-smes-response-to-economic-challenges/ (last visited June 29, 2025)
Response of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to address ongoing economic challenges in Australia in December 2024 [Graph], fifth quadrant, January 10, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1453336/australia-smes-response-to-economic-challenges/
