Employers predict optimistic hiring climate: Survey

Only 11 per cent anticipate layoffs in last quarter of 2009

Canadian employers expect a more optimistic hiring climate for the end of the year, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

The survey of more than 1,900 Canadian employers revealed 15 per cent plan to increase their payrolls in the fourth quarter of 2009, while 11 per cent anticipate cutbacks and 73 per cent expect to maintain their current staffing levels. One per cent are unsure of their hiring intentions for the upcoming quarter.

This results in a net employment outlook of five per cent in the fourth quarter, up from minus three per cent in the third quarter. However, the outlook is still nine percentage points lower than the same time last year.

“This quarter’s net employment outlook indicates that the sluggish hiring pace reported in the previous quarter is likely to improve in the fourth quarter of 2009, but it’s far off the pace we saw last year at this time,” says Byrne Luft, vice-president of marketing for Manpower Canada.

“Employers are telling us that they plan to hire, but in a very conservative manner.”

Of the 10 surveyed industry sectors, employers in both the construction sector and the finance, insurance and real estate sector report the most favourable forecasts for the last quarter of 2009 with net employment outlooks of 10 per cent.

Employers in both the mining and public administration sectors are also cautiously optimistic for the upcoming quarter, reporting net employment outlooks of nine per cent.

“Regionally, employers in Western and Atlantic Canada are anticipating the most encouraging hiring environment,” said Luft. “However, the raw survey data indicates that the outlook is weaker in three of the four Canadian regions surveyed compared to three months ago, and only employers in Western Canada are reporting stronger hiring intentions for the coming quarter."

Meanwhile employers in Atlantic Canada report a fair hiring climate with a net employment outlook of seven per cent. Quebec has a net employment outlook of three per cent and Ontario has an outlook of two per cent.

Net employment outlook by industry:

Industry

Net employment outlook fourth quarter 2009

Net employment outlook third quarter 2009

Net employment outlook fourth quarter 2008

Construction

10%

6%

15%

Finance, insurance and real estate

10%

8%

20%

Mining

9%

-2%

26%

Public administration

9%

9%

21%

Services

7%

0%

16%

Manufacturing non-durable goods

6%

-12%

6%

Transportation and public utilities

5%

-2%

16%

Wholesale and retail trade

1%

2%

12%

Education

1%

5%

5%

Manufacturing durable goods

-1%

-20%

11%

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