<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Almost half of Aussie businesses are being forced to cut back on employee shifts, offer more work-from-home days and stop hiring as skyrocketing fuel costs squash under-pressure margins.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New data from Business NSW reveals 47 per cent of employers are now reviewing staffing levels and working hours as rising fuel and freight costs begin to flow through to jobs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The findings, based on responses from more than 630 </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/small-business-ai-fraud-damaged-products-milkwick-tiktok-exclusive/f325e286-8eee-49c4-ab06-27bab8d60065" rel="" target="" title="businesses"><span>businesses</span></a><span>, lay bare the scale of the pressure.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-april-10-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/98a0862e-af66-442c-a232-f61a1ac9df60" target="_blank" title=" Israel condemned for Lebanon attacks"><strong><span>Israel condemned for Lebanon attacks</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A striking 84 per cent say the crisis is already affecting their operations, while 37 per cent report a significant or severe impact.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For employees, the consequences are already taking shape.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Almost one in three businesses have reduced staff hours or income, while 35 per cent say workers are increasingly anxious about job security. Meanwhile, 19 per cent report that staff are requesting additional work-from-home days to reduce fuel costs.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/aussie-businesses-slash-hours-work-from-home-fuel-crisis-iran-war/3f2d8e8c-9c0f-41b8-9f8a-3e0ef3e37268" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The data points to mounting strain, particularly in regional areas where transport costs are harder to absorb.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter said businesses are being pushed into difficult decisions.</span></div></div><div class="player__video-container"><img alt="" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/KcsVwJe7UmcrkhZ4MLNOspYX2Ic=/750x0/https%3A%2F%2Fvms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F2026%2F04%2F765623%2Fpickerimage.jpg"/></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/australia-oil-crisis-prime-minister-anthony-albanese-lands-in-singapore-on-mission-to-cement-oil-supply/0e9b8d55-8bc1-4e4b-a86a-d64af25b635a" target="" title="PM lands in Singapore on mission to cement fuel supply"><strong><span>PM lands in Singapore on mission to cement fuel supply</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When costs spike this quickly, cutting working hours or jobs for staff is the last thing employers want to do. But sometimes, there is no other option," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Operators say they are absorbing rising fuel, freight and supplier costs while also facing weaker consumer spending – leaving little room to manoeuvre.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The pressure has sparked renewed calls for government intervention, with a focus on easing payroll tax for regional businesses.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New South Wales currently has a payroll tax rate of 5.45 per cent, among the highest nationally, with a threshold that has remained fixed at $1.2 million despite rising wages.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The difference is stark when compared interstate. A NSW business with a $4 million wage bill would save about $110,000 each year if based in regional Victoria.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hunter said businesses are calling for urgent action to prevent further job losses.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are hearing clear, repeated requests for immediate relief, including certainty of diesel supply, action on price gouging, temporary fuel tax relief, and targeted payroll tax relief to protect jobs before businesses start closing," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The warning comes as insolvencies rise sharply.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More than 3,600 NSW businesses have collapsed since July – a 21 per cent increase on the previous year – with the state now recording more failures than Victoria and Queensland combined.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>