ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey: Prospects Look Mild for Job Seekers as Canadian Hiring Intentions Are Cautiously Optimistic

• Employers report a +9% National Outlook for 2Q 2020 – a two percentage point decrease from the 2Q 2019 Outlook and one percentage point decrease from the 1Q 2020 Outlook
• Employers in all 10 Canadian industry sectors and in all four regions of the country expect to add to payrolls in the next quarter
• Employers in the Public Administration sector report the highest industry Outlook (+13%) followed by the Construction (+12%), Manufacturing-Durables (+12%), Mining (+12%) & Transportation & Public Utilities (+12%) sectors. The Manufacturing-Non-Durables sector anticipates a muted Outlook of +3%, the weakest of all sector Outlooks in Canada.
• The strongest Outlook is reported by employers in Quebec (+17%), declining by two percentage points in comparison with 1Q 2020, but improving by one percentage point in comparison with the same period last year.

TORONTO, March 10, 2020 /CNW/ - According to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world, Canadian employers expect a cautiously optimistic hiring pace over the next three months*. Employers in the Public Administration sector report the strongest job prospects, and job creators in the Quebec region are forecasting the strongest Outlook of the four regions in Canada.

With seasonal variations removed from the data, the Net Employment Outlook of +9% is a one percentage point decrease when compared to the previous quarterly (1Q 2020) and a two percentage point decrease from the Outlook reported during the same time last year (2Q 2019). Employers in all four regions of the country and in all 10 industry sectors expect to add to payrolls next quarter. 

The survey of over 1,900 employers across Canada reveals that 14% of employers plan to increase their staffing levels in the second quarter of 2020, while 3% anticipate cutbacks. Meanwhile, 82% of the employers surveyed expect their current staffing levels to remain unchanged, while the remaining 1% are unsure of their hiring intentions.

"Though we can expect rigorous hiring activity in many regions, most Canadian employers are keeping their plans modest, partly due to persistent skills shortages," said Darlene Minatel, Country Manager of ManpowerGroup Canada. "The lack of available talent, especially in manufacturing, construction, and the skilled trades, is leading employers to invest more heavily in their current workforce, bridging staff into open roles and redesigning the employee experience to improve retention."

*The survey was conducted between January 6 and January 28 before the global escalation of Covid-19

SOURCE ManpowerGroup

Tony D'Archi, The iPR Group, 416.850.2524, [email protected]