Forty-five percent of employers in Wisconsin and Illinois plan to increase staffing levels in the third quarter of 2012, down from 46 percent in the second quarter, according to results from a survey by QPS Companies Inc., a privately held staffing firm based in Brookfield, Wis.

“We are seeing an increase in companies taking measures to retain their top performers,” said to COO Dan McNulty. “Wage increases are just one of the benefits that companies can offer to stay competitive in this tight labor market.”

According to the survey, 42 percent of employers believe there is a shortage of skilled labor, and 57 percent feel the economy is the biggest issue facing companies in the third quarter of 2012.

QPS surveyed more than 315 companies throughout Wisconsin and Illinois as part of its employment forecasting survey.