ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey: Slight Increase in Canadian Employers Hiring Intentions Indicates Continued Moderate Prospects for Job Seekers

• Employers report a +8% National Outlook for 2Q 2021 – unchanged from the 2Q 2020 Outlook and a one percentage point increase from the 1Q 2021 Outlook.
• Employers in 10 Canadian industry sectors, as well as all four regions of the country surveyed by ManpowerGroup, expect to add payrolls in the next quarter.
• Employers in the Manufacturing-Durables sector report the highest industry Outlook (+17%) followed by the Public Administration (+15%), Transportation & Public Utilities (+13%), Finance, Insurance & Real Estate (+12%), and Manufacturing-Non-Durables (+11%). The Wholesale and Retail Trade sector continues to anticipate a limited Outlook of +2%, the weakest of all sector Outlooks in Canada.
• The strongest Outlook continues to be reported by employers in Quebec (+12%), improving by two percentage points in comparison with the 1Q 2021 Outlook, but declining by four percentage points in comparison with the same period last year.
• 41% of employers report having no plans to introduce a fixed policy on employee Covid-19 vaccination; 27% plan to urge but not mandate vaccination by highlighting its benefits
• 50% of employers surveyed report that in the next six to 12 months, the majority of their workforce will work all or most of the time in the workplace, while 33% expect a mix of remote and workplace-based working

TORONTO, March 9, 2021 /CNW/ - According to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world, Canadian employers continue to expect a moderate hiring pace over the next three months. Employers in the Manufacturing-Durables sector report the strongest job prospects, and job creators in the Quebec region are forecasting the strongest Outlook of the four regions in Canada surveyed by ManpowerGroup.

With seasonal variations removed from the data, the Net Employment Outlook for Canada is +8%, a one percentage point increase when compared to the previous quarterly Outlook (1Q 2021) and unchanged from the Outlook reported during the same time last year (2Q 2020). Employers in all four regions and all 10 industry sectors of the country expect to add to payrolls next quarter. 

The survey of over 1,300 employers across Canada reveals that 15% plan to increase their staffing levels in the second quarter of 2021, while 4% anticipate cutbacks. Meanwhile, 77% of the employers surveyed expect their current staffing levels to remain unchanged, while the remaining 4% are unsure of their hiring intentions.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, 22% of employers have decreased the number of full-time workers they employ, 10% have increased, while 67% have maintained the same number. 19% of employers have decreased the number of part-time workers they employ, 8% have increased, while 61% have maintained the same number. Organizations that employ contractors/consultants, temporary workers, or gig/freelance workers have largely maintained the same number of these employees (59-68%).

Once a Covid-19 vaccine is publicly available in Canada, 41% of employers report having no plans to introduce a fixed policy on employee vaccination, but rather plan to leave it up to individuals to decide for themselves. 27% plan to urge vaccination by highlighting its benefits, without mandating it. 8% of employers surveyed plan to require that all employees must be vaccinated.

50 per cent of employers surveyed report that in the next six to 12 months, the majority of their workforce will work all or most of the time in the workplace, while 33% expect a mix of remote and workplace-based working. 6% say the majority of their workforce will work remotely all or most of the time.

"An ongoing moderate hiring Outlook for employers in the second quarter of 2021, in light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, can be interpreted as a positive trajectory," said Darlene Minatel, Country Manager of ManpowerGroup Canada. "With all ten industry sectors expecting to hire in the upcoming quarter, there will be opportunities for job seekers. All four regions of the country have positive employment Outlooks for the second quarter of 2021 but job seekers in Atlantic Canada have the greatest challenge with a limited employment Outlook (+3%) anticipated. With widespread Covid-19 vaccination on the horizon, employers appear to be cautiously optimistic and open to flexibility in consideration of the post-pandemic chapter for business."

Canada Hiring Plans by Industry Sectors, Regions and Metro Areas

• Nationwide, employers in all 10 industry sectors expect to add staff in 2Q 2021. The strongest Outlook is reported in the Manufacturing-Durables sector (+17%) followed by the Public Administration (+15%), Transportation & Public Utilities (+13%), Finance, Insurance & Real Estate (+12%), and Manufacturing-Non-Durables (+11%). When compared with the previous quarter, hiring plans weaken in three sectors, improve in five and remain unchanged in two. In a year-over-year comparison, employers in four sectors report a weaker hiring sentiment.
• Quebec has the strongest regional Outlook in the country (+12%), a two percentage point increase in comparison with 1Q 2021 but a four percentage point decline compared to the same period last year. Hiring prospects in Ontario (+10%) remain steady for this quarter, while Western Canada (+7%) experiences a slight increase in hiring pace.  Job seekers in Atlantic Canada (+3%) should plan for a limited hiring climate.
• Of the 47 markets serviced by ManpowerGroup in Canada, the strongest job gains are expected in Ottawa, ON (+27%), Surrey, BC (+26%), London, ON (+25%), Canton de l'Est, QC (+24%), and Kitchener/Cambridge, ON (+21%).

Complete results for the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey are available for download at www.manpowergroup.ca/meos. The 3Q 2021 survey will be released June 8, 2021.

*The Net Employment Outlook is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity and subtracting from this the percentage of employers expecting a decrease in hiring activity.

Note to Editors
In addition, all tables and graphs from the full report are available to be downloaded for use in publication or broadcast from the Manpower Web site at www.manpower.ca > Employers > Research and Insights.

Note that in Quarter 2 of 2008, the survey adopted the TRAMO-SEATS model for seasonal adjustment of data. As a result, you may notice some seasonally adjusted data points change slightly from previous reports. This model is recommended by the Eurostat department of the European Union and the European Central Bank and is widely used internationally

About the Survey
The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers' intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforce during the next quarter. It is the most extensive forward-looking survey of its kind, unparalleled in its size, scope, longevity and area of focus. The Survey has been running for more than 55 years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment activity in the world. The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey is based on interviews with nearly 60,000 public and private employers worldwide and is considered a highly respected economic indicator.

SOURCE ManpowerGroup

Suzanne Settino, The iPR Group, 416.670.1991, [email protected]