ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey: Covid-19 Pandemic Measures Create Cloudy Prospects for Job Seekers as Canadian Employer Hiring Intentions Are Dim

• Employers report a -10% National Outlook for 3Q 2020. It's a 21 percentage point decrease from the 3Q 2019 Outlook and 19 percentage point decrease from the 2Q 2020 Outlook.
• 59% of employers expect to return to pre-COVID-19 hiring levels within the next 12 months.
• Employers in eight Canadian industry sectors and in all four regions of the country have negative employment outlooks for the upcoming quarter
• Employers in the Manufacturing Non-Durables sector report the highest industry Outlook (+8%) followed by the Services sector (+2%). The Construction sector anticipates a bleak Outlook of -26%, the weakest of all sector Outlooks in Canada
• The strongest regional Outlook is reported by employers in Atlantic Canada (-1%), declining by nine percentage points in comparison with 2Q 2020, and a 17 percentage point decrease in comparison with the same period last year

TORONTO, June 9, 2020 /CNW/ - According to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world, Canadian employers expect a dim hiring pace over the next three months. Employers in the Manufacturing Non-Durables sector report the strongest job prospects, and job creators in the Atlantic Canada region are forecasting the strongest Outlook of the four regions in Canada but still report a negative employer outlook of -1%.

With seasonal variations removed from the data, the Net Employment Outlook is -10%.This is a 19 percentage point decrease when compared to the previous quarterly Outlook (2Q 2020) and a 21 percentage point decrease from the Outlook reported during the same time last year (3Q 2019). Employers in all four regions of the country and in eight industry sectors expect to decrease payrolls next quarter. 

The survey of over 1,000 employers across Canada reveals that 12% of employers plan to increase their staffing levels in the third quarter of 2020, while 17% anticipate cutbacks. Meanwhile, 60% of the employers surveyed expect their current staffing levels to remain unchanged, while the remaining 11% are unsure of their hiring intentions. The Covid-19 pandemic has directly impacted businesses with 71% of organizations surveyed saying normal business activity has been halted or suspended by the outbreak. Despite this, 59% of employers still expect to return to pre-COVID-19 hiring levels within the next 12 months.

"A dim hiring outlook is not unexpected, given the economic lockdowns in the wake of the Covid-19 health emergency," said Darlene Minatel, Country Manager of ManpowerGroup Canada. "Companies that are hiring generally fall into the category of being essential service or supportive of essential services during this time. The category of essential workers is expanding beyond those who got us through the crisis – grocery stores clerks and temperature checkers – to include those who will help lead us out of the crisis. Think of roles in the IT sector, including chip manufacturers and app developers, who are leading the shift to more flexible and remote work."

SOURCE ManpowerGroup

Tony D'Archi, The iPR Group, 416.420.1413, [email protected]