Businesses that participate in the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce’s biennial wage survey could reap the benefits later this year.

The chamber and its Community Improvement Corp., as well as WorkPlus One-Stop Center and Wittenberg University are teaming up for the fourth Springfield/Clark County Wage and Benefit Survey. It allows businesses to compare pay and benefit structures within industries, as well as with the rest of the county.

Amy Donahoe, director of hiring and employer services with the Community Improvement Corp., said she gets requests every month for local information about wages and benefits from existing businesses and potential new companies.

“It helps existing businesses stay competitive so they have an idea of what the going wages are and general benefit statuses for other organizations in Clark County or the same industry,” she said.

Companies have spent thousands of dollars in the past for similar data, Donahoe said, and the survey will allow participants to complete strategic planning for the new year.

“I’ve seen people change jobs for a quarter (raise),” she said. “If the companies are aware of that and look at the reason people are leaving and compare it to the data … they’ll be able to see where they compare.”

The initial survey came from a similar process performed in Allen County, Donahoe said, but the Clark County group has tweaked the formula in the past few years.

The goal is to have about 120 companies complete the survey. In 2011, 107 businesses in Clark County completed the survey.

“If we only have a few companies, it truly won’t be a good representation of what Springfield offers in regards to pay and benefits,” Donahoe said. “The more companies, the more diverse and better data we’ll have.”

The survey must be completed by Aug. 2. Donahoe said any business in Clark County, regardless of size or industry, can participate. The survey is confidential.

Businesses who participate will be provided an early copy of the report, which is expected to be released in October. The findings won’t be released to the public until the first quarter of 2014.

A link to the survey can be found at tinyurl.com/qbry5ph or on the chamber’s Facebook page at

For more information, e-mail wage.benefit.survey@gmail.com, or call 937-521-1946 or 937-327-7903.