Employers in the Burnaby and Coquitlam area anticipate a “reasonable” hiring climate for the first three months of 2020, according to a recent survey.
Survey data from staffing firm ManpowerGroup’s employer outlook survey show 16% of employers in the area plan to hire in the first quarter of 2020, compared to 2% expecting cutbacks. A further 80% plan to maintain current staffing levels, with the remaining 2% unsure.
Accounting for seasonal variations in employment, Manpower rated the “net employment outlook” at 14%, a four percentage point increase over Q4 2019.
“It is also a four percentage point decrease from the outlook reported during the same time last year,” said Richard Plumb of Manpower’s Vancouver office in a statement.
Darlene Minatel, country manager of ManpowerGroup Canada, said the hiring climate in the beginning of 2020, while still offering some room for job-seekers, may be tightening.
“Despite the slight decline in the national employment outlook, unemployment remains low in Canada and wages continue to rise. Clearly, it’s still a job seeker’s market,” Minatel said in a statement.
“Employers are also grappling with widening skills gaps and are hard pressed to find bilingual talent and those in the skilled trades. Job seekers would be well advised to seek training in these areas, while employers might consider upskilling and bridging programs to close the gap.”
