Hiring Plans for Permanent Staff | ||
Second Half 2024 | First Half 2025 | |
Adding new positions | 52 % | 46 % |
Filling vacated positions | 41 % | 49 % |
Not adding new or filling vacated positions | 5 % | 4 % |
Eliminating positions | 1 % | 1 % |
Hiring Plans by Company Size | |||
Small | Medium | Large | |
Expanding | 42 % | 49 % | 41 % |
Maintaining | 50 % | 48 % | 51 % |
Hiring Freeze/Layoffs | 8 % | 2 % | 7 % |
Top Factors Influencing Hiring Plans
Among managers who plan to increase hiring, nearly half (47 per cent) cited company growth as the primary factor influencing their hiring decisions for the first half of 2025. Employee turnover rates (44 per cent), and the emergence of new projects (41 per cent) were also identified as key factors driving hiring, it said.
Koula Vasilopoulos
“2024 has seen many hiring challenges, from skills gaps and talent shortages to new in-office policies and wider economic conditions. Both hiring managers and job seekers have had to navigate a complex market,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, Senior Managing Director, Robert Half, Canada. “While hiring plans remain high as we enter 2025, businesses must ensure they have the right hiring strategies in place to keep key initiatives running smoothly, complete projects on time, achieve goals, and attract top talent for the future. In addition, they need to mitigate burnout and decreased productivity from overstretched teams through strong retention plans.”
The Ramifications of Not Filling Open Roles
Without a streamlined and efficient hiring plan, organizations risk delaying critical initiatives and putting strain on existing employees. Hiring managers revealed the greatest impact of not filling roles in a timely manner:
- Decreased productivity (40%)
- Stretched bandwidth and burnout of existing staff (39%)
- Delayed project timelines (34%)
- Inability to support critical business initiatives (31%)
Strategies to Land Top Talent
To secure in-demand candidates and help keep projects on track, hiring managers say they will implement the following strategies:
- Partnering with staffing firms to identify qualified candidates (39%)
- Encouraging current employee referrals through referral bonuses (35%)
- Offering paid internships for current students or recent graduates (34%)
- Developing or enhancing mentorship programs (34%)
- Outlining clear career paths within departments to attract internal candidates (33%)
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.
About Us
Canada’s Podcast is the number one podcast in Canada for entrepreneurs and business owners. Established in 2016, the podcast network has interviewed over 600 Canadian entrepreneurs from coast-to-coast.
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