Edmond Dantès
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.
Koula Vasilopoulos
“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.
“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.”
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 | 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%)
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%)
The full report can be found here.
Mario Toneguzzi
Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Podcast. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the World by PR News – the only Canadian to make the list. He was also named by RETHINK to its global list of Top Retail Experts 2024.
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