Canadian survey finds top reasons are company growth, lack of skills, poaching talent
Business is good for a majority of Canadian organizations, as 54% plan to hire new workers in the first half of 2024.
Why? Company growth is the most popular reason, as 61% of employers surveyed by Robert Half reported a need for new employees.
This hiring spree will enable 77% of those businesses to move forward with projects that were put on the back burner this year.
The survey heard from 1,094 hiring managers in finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and human resources at organizations with 20 or more employees in Canada between Nov. 1 to 20.
Hiring spree in new year
Another 40% of organizations will hire for empty positions, while 68% will bring on new contract workers to meet new business requirements, according to the Robert Half survey.
Other reasons cited for the influx of new positions needed by companies include:
- Lack of skills among current staff (50%)
- Poaching talent let go from other organizations (48%)
- Employee turnover (48%)
The skill shortage was noted by 89% of hiring professionals who reported having more difficulty doing so versus the previous year, and another 64% said it takes them longer to accomplish this, found the survey.
Retention concerns were top of mind for 90% of leaders while for 87% of managers, keeping staff motivated and productive was a challenge.
Other top challenges managers anticipate experiencing in 2024 include:
- Shortage of skilled applicants (53%)
- Difficulty finding the right candidates in a timely manner (49%)
- Meeting salary expectations of potential new employees (48%)
