Fourth quarter hiring remains strong: Survey

The last quarter of 2007 is going to be a busy time for hiring managers, according to a survey by staffing firm Manpower.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey of more than 1,700 Canadian employers reveals that 25 per cent plan to increase their payrolls from October to December, while nine per cent anticipate cutbacks for a net employment outlook of 16 per cent, up one percentage point from the third quarter.

“Employers are telling us that over the next three months they will continue adding to their payrolls at a slightly better rate than the previous quarter," said Lori Rogers, vice-president of operations for Manpower Canada.

“The positive hiring outlooks in Western and Atlantic Canada are ahead of the national forecast.”

Of those polled, 64 per cent expect no changes and two per cent are unsure of their staffing intentions.

Employers in Western Canada report a robust hiring climate with a net employment outlook of 31 per cent. Atlantic Canada employers project an optimistic three-month period with a net employment outlook of 20 per cent. Employers in Ontario anticipate a favorable quarter with a net employment outlook of 13 per cent, while Quebec employers report weaker hiring intentions with a net employment outlook of three per cent.

Industry Net employment outlook – 4th quarter 2007 (%) Net employment outlook – 3rd quarter 2007 (%) Mining 40 30 Construction 32 32 Finance, insurance and real estate 25 20 Wholesale and retail trade 24 21 Services 23 18 Public administration 22 22 Transportation and public utilities 15 15 Education 12 23 Manufacturing – durable goods 11 9 Manufacturing – non-durable goods 8 11