Majority of firms expect no layoffs for rest of 2012: Survey

Most companies have already reduced head count to appropriate level

The vast majority (82 per cent) of Canadian employers anticipate there will be no layoffs at their organization for the rest of 2012, according to a survey by Right Management.

Eleven per cent predict layoffs at a normal level, which means selectively, and just three per cent expect more staff cutbacks, found the survey of 1,104 Canadian employers.

“Most organizations have already taken significant action over the past two to three years to reduce head count to what they believe is the appropriate level,” said Owen Sullivan, CEO of Right Management. “However, on a continual basis companies are assessing their head count requirements which often results in lower volume layoffs.”

The survey was a part of Manpower Group’s quarterly Manpower Employment Outlook Survey which polled nearly 15,000 employers in 41 countries.

Globally, 78 per cent of respondents expect no layoffs at all while 13 per cent expect a normal level.

“Organizations must manage their talent as strategically as they would any other scarce resource,” said Sullivan. “They have to develop flexible talent sources, work models and people practices to ensure they’ll have in place what is needed to optimize their business and reach their goals. This drop in expected layoffs is in line with this reality.”

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