Canadian hiring is expected to grow steadily into 2007. Canada's economy will remain stable in spite of an economic slowdown in the United States.
Remy Piazza, Managing Director, CareerBuilder.ca

A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive for CareerBuilder.ca showed the Canadian labor market expanding despite a slowdown in the U.S.

"Canadian hiring is expected to grow steadily into 2007, with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development predicting Canada's economy will remain stable in spite of an economic slowdown in the United States," said Remy Piazza, managing director of CareerBuilder.ca. "Forty-two percent of private-sector hiring managers expect to increase their number of full-time, permanent employees in 2007, while just 4 percent plan to cut staffs."

Although 44 percent of employers expect to add 10 or fewer employees in 2007, more than one-in-five expect to add more than 50 workers, and one-in-ten plan to hire more than 100 employees.

Employers expect to add the most workers in the sales, accounting/financial operations, hospitality, healthcare, customer service and information technology sectors. Forty percent of hiring managers plan to concentrate their recruiting efforts on the professional/technical staff level, while 18 percent will focus on administrative and clerical workers and 7 percent plan to target management positions.

SEVEN MAJOR HIRING TRENDS FOR 2007
"The positive climate for job seekers will be challenging for hiring managers already coping with a shrinking labour pool as the Baby Boomer generation retires," Piazza said. "Currently, 45 percent of employers say they have job openings for which they can't find qualified candidates. As employers struggle to stay competitive, Canadian workers will see higher salaries, more flexible work schedules and better career advancement opportunities in 2007."

1) Bigger Paychecks - Eighty-three percent of hiring managers plan to increase compensation for existing employees in 2007. Fifty-five percent will increase salaries by 3 percent or more, and one-in-five will boost pay by 5 percent or more. Nearly half of employers expect to increase salaries on initial offers to new employees.

2) Diversity Recruitment - Recognizing the impact of workplace diversity on the bottom line, more hiring managers plan to aggressively recruit women and disabled workers in the coming year. Reflecting efforts to appeal to the national populace, 48 percent of employers said workers who speak both French and English will be the most valuable to their organizations.

3) Rehiring Retirees - Nearly one-in-four employers said they will hire retirees from other companies or provide incentives to entice workers approaching retirement age to prolong their careers at the organizations.

4) Flexible Work Arrangements - Twenty-seven percent of hiring managers said they are very or extremely willing to provide flexible work arrangements for employees such as job sharing or alternate schedules in 2007. Sixteen percent are likely to allow workers to telecommute.

5) Career Advancement - Recognizing that a perceived lack of career mobility can induce employee turnover, 37 percent of employers will be providing more promotions and career advancement opportunities for existing staff this year.

6) Training - To help ease the strain of a skilled worker shortage, nearly nine out of 10 employers are willing to recruit workers who lack experience in their industry but have transferable skills. Seventy-eight percent said they were willing to provide the necessary training and certifications to such candidates.

7) Expanding Overseas - To establish and strengthen their global presences, 8 percent of Canadian employers expect to expand operations and hire employees overseas in 2007.

HIRING AND COMPENSATION IN Q1

Hiring

Over the next three months, 42 percent of hiring managers expect to add new employees, while just 5 percent anticipate staff cuts. Forty-two percent expect no change in their rosters, and 12 percent were unsure of their hiring plans.

Compensation

Forty-seven percent of hiring managers plan to increase pay in the first quarter. Thirty-two percent plan to increase salaries by 3 percent or more, and 16 percent plan to increase salaries by 5 percent or more.

JOB SATISFACTION

Programs to improve employee retention have created strong overall job satisfaction. Sixty-three percent of workers reported they are satisfied with their jobs, and 19 percent described themselves as dissatisfied. Still, a favorable job market is enticing candidates to search for more lucrative opportunities in 2007. Thirty-three percent of workers plan to leave their current positions within one year, and 48 percent expect to seek a new position within two years.

When asked about typical job factors that influence continued job satisfaction and retention, respondents conveyed the following:

Pay - Thirty-two percent of workers reported dissatisfaction with their pay, and 37 percent did not receive a raise in 2006. Of the workers who did see an increase 19 percent received a bump of 2 percent or lower. In addition, two-thirds of workers did not receive a bonus last year.

Career Advancement - Thirty-four percent of workers reported their employers do not offer sufficient career advancement opportunities. Eighty- five percent of respondents did not receive a promotion in 2006, and 25 percent believed they had been overlooked for one.

Work/Life Balance - Twenty-six percent of workers reported dissatisfaction with their work/life balance. Forty-two percent said their workloads were heavier than they were six months ago.

Training/Learning - Twenty-nine percent of workers are dissatisfied with the training and on-the-job learning opportunities provided by their current employers.

When considering new positions, workers said the most important attributes in a potential employer include:

-- Good work culture (24 percent)
-- Good career advancement opportunities (24 percent)
-- Company's stability and longevity in the market (19 percent)
-- Ability to offer flexible schedules (10 percent)

Methodology

This survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 422 workers (employed full-time; not self employed) and 225 hiring managers (employed full-time; not self employed; with at least some involvement in hiring decisions), ages 18 and over within Canada between November 17 and December 11, 2006.