'Hiring overall has become more and more challenging every year'
While many employers are having difficulties filling open positions, it’s the senior-level positions that are the most challenging.
That’s according to a survey of 505 hiring decision-makers that found close to two-thirds of Canadian companies (59 per cent) say it is difficult to recruit and fill positions.
Notably, 75 per cent of employers are having a hard time filling C-suite positions, and 73 per cent are finding the same for senior-level candidates – compared to mid-level positions (55 per cent) and entry-level jobs (33 per cent).
“There’s such a high demand that someone who is terminated today can in reality, probably find a job tomorrow,” says Brent Pollington, owner of Express Employment Professionals in Vancouver, speaking with Canadian HR Reporter. “Hiring overall has become more and more challenging every year.”
More than half (55 per cent) of Canadian small and medium-sized employers are struggling to hire the workers they need, according to a report from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
So, how can the situation be improved?
Defined recruitment strategy
For hiring professionals, it’s important to be actively looking at their company vision, mission and core values, says Pollington
“Do they ring true to what they’re trying to do? Do they have employee value statements?” he says.
“If you’re going out into the market to try to attract or hire somebody, do you understand truly what you’re trying to accomplish? And can you then convey that message to the job seeker that’s out there to create that that attraction?”
It’s important to look at it as a marketing tool with a defined recruitment strategy, and not just a simple hiring decision, says Pollington, because candidates need to be engaged.
“There’s a thousand jobs in the job boards and only 100 candidates [so] why would that person click on your job in the first place?”
Brent Pollington
HR departments should also be on the lookout for “aptitude and motivation” among candidates, that will serve them well as they onboard, says Pollington.
“Businesses, HR, hiring managers need to find ways to be able to hire great people who are willing to learn, who are highly motivated: train them, give them the tools they need to be successful and then retain them,” he says.
“Be more willing internally to bring in great people and offer them the tools, the training, the development, the systems, the processes to help set them up for success and then have specific benchmarks along the way based on achievable metrics that the candidate is self-accountable for.”
And the labour market strain should continue until the federal government allows more foreign workers to enter, after COVID has receded, he says.
“I think that’ll make it harder for the job seeker, in addition to the job seeker wage benefits… EI and CERB, and those different benefits are ending as well and so there’s going to be an influx of people looking to re-enter the market.”
Employers are facing challenges when it comes to integrating new hires and bringing back current employees as workplaces open up, finds a survey.
