More than half of companies plan to add new positions in the second half of 2024

More than half of Canadian firms (52%) plan to add new permanent positions in the second half of 2024, according to Robert Half’s “State of Canadian Hiring” survey. The HR consulting and recruiting firm in June polled 1,800 managers with hiring responsibilities at companies with 20 or more employees.

Another 58% of companies said they expect to increase the number of contract professionals in H2 2024, while 41% plan to fill vacated positions.

Managers said company growth (50%) was the top reason driving hiring in H2 2024, followed by employee turnover (41%), project-based work (39%), and a lack of needed skills among current employees (38%).

Finding the right talent may not be easy, with 90% of managers saying it’s difficult to find skilled professionals. Thirty-two percent think it will take longer to hire between now and the end of 2025 than it did in H1 2024, while 45% think it will take about the same amount of time.

Other top challenges include a lack of applicants with the required skill sets (51%), hiring fast enough to get the best talent (46%), and meeting salary expectations (46%).

"Hiring challenges and subsequent lengthy hiring cycles can have a big impact on projects and business priorities", said Koula Vasilopoulos, senior managing director of Robert Half Canada. "Employers have crucial roles that need filling, and need to ensure they have strategic hiring strategies in place to attract talent and keep projects on track."

Being flexible is a good way to attract and hire top talent. Managers are willing to bend on the job description’s required years of experience (59%), as well as offer hybrid work options (39%) and flexible schedules (37%).

"Flexibility continues to be a major priority for professionals, and offering some autonomy over when and where team members work can give companies an edge in securing top talent," Vasilopoulos added.