- 58% plan to increase the number of contract professionals
- 90% of managers face challenges finding skilled talent
TORONTO, July 30,
2024 /CNW/ - New research from talent solutions
and business consulting firm Robert Half suggests hiring will keep
pace for the remainder of the year. According to the company's
State of Canadian Hiring Survey, 52 per cent of companies report
plans to add new permanent positions in the second half of the
year. Another 41 per cent plan to fill vacated positions and 58 per
cent said they plan to increase the number of contract and
project-based professionals to close out 2024.
Companies' Plans for
Hiring Permanent Staff
|
|
First Half
2024
|
Second Half
2024
|
Adding new
positions
|
54 %
|
52 %
|
Filling vacated
positions
|
40 %
|
41 %
|
Not adding new or
filling vacated
positions
|
4 %
|
5 %
|
Eliminating
positions
|
1 %
|
1 %
|
Top Factors Influencing Hiring Decisions
Surveyed managers indicated that company growth (50%) was the
primary factor influencing hiring decisions in the second half of
the year. 41 per cent said employee turnover, 39 per cent said
project-based work has their company on the lookout for skilled
professionals, and 38 per cent cited the lack of requisite skills
among current employees.
Hiring Challenges Persist
While hiring is expected to remain robust, finding the right
talent may not be easy. According to the survey, 90 per cent of
hiring managers report difficulty finding skilled professionals,
and 32 per cent anticipate it taking longer to hire between now and
the end of 2025 than it did in the first half of 2024, while
another 45 per cent expect it to take about the same amount of
time.
Other top hiring challenges managers anticipate include:
- Lack of applicants with the required skill sets (51%)
- Finding candidates who align with company culture (49%)
- Hiring quickly enough to land the best talent (46%)
- Meeting candidates' 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."
Managers get flexible to attract talent
To help attract and hire top talent, managers are:
- Willing to bend on years of experience if the candidate
possesses the required skills (59%)
- Offering hybrid work options (39%)
- Offering flexible schedules (37%)
Vasilopoulos added: "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."
For more information about The Demand for Skilled Talent, visit
our report here.
About the Research
The online survey was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent
research firm during the first two weeks of June 2024. It includes responses from 1,800
managers with hiring responsibilities in finance and accounting,
technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and
customer support, and human resources at companies with 20 or more
employees in Canada.
About Robert Half
Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized
talent solutions firm that connects opportunities at great
companies with highly skilled job seekers. Offering contract and
permanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and
accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and
administrative and customer support, Robert Half has more
than 300 locations worldwide. Robert Half is the parent
company of Protiviti®, a global consulting firm
that provides internal audit, risk, business and technology
consulting solutions. Robert Half, including Protiviti, has
been named to the Fortune® Most Admired
Companies™. Explore our comprehensive solutions,
research and insights at RobertHalf.ca.
SOURCE Robert Half Canada Inc.