Nearly half of Canadian companies plan to expand teams in first half of 2022
Forty-nine percent of Canadian companies plan to add new permanent positions in the first half of 2022 – an increase of six points from six months ago – according to a report from Robert Half. The recruitment and HR consulting firm polled more than 800 senior managers across functional areas in November and December 2021 for its “State of Canadian Hiring Survey.”
A further 45% of companies plan to fill vacated positions (down nine points from six months ago), while 52% plan to bring in more contract talent.
With a tighter labour market, companies are using various tools to attract skilled talent, including offering remote options (47%), higher salaries (46%), loosened education and experience requirements (31%), signing bonuses (30%), and more paid time off (29%).
“Skilled professionals currently have access to more career opportunities and power in the hiring process than ever before," said David King, Canadian senior managing director of Robert Half. "To attract and land top talent, employers need to be active in promoting what makes their company a great place to work. This includes offering comprehensive compensation and benefits packages as well as remote flexibility."
Most professionals are interested in remote work options, with 60% interested in pursuing fully remote roles, according to previous research from the consulting firm. Companies also see various benefits in posting remote roles, including the ability to get more applications from skilled candidates (47%), greater flexibility in compensation (39%), and quicker hiring (33%).
“Many companies have seen the benefits of remote work over the past two years," added King. "Their positive experience, combined with a current shortage of specialized talent in Canada, have prompted employers to embrace the idea of offering fully remote roles in order to access a larger candidate pool and facilitate a faster hiring and onboarding process."
Remote roles bring their own set of challenges, however. Some of the top obstacles identified by respondents include developing compensation packages for candidates outside their region, building engagement and connection, and providing training and support.
