Two-fifths (42 per cent) of Canadian employers say they anticipate obstacles related to recruiting and retaining skilled employees over the next three months, according to a new report by Statistics Canada.
The report found more than half of employers in retail trade (53 per cent), construction (52 per cent), accommodation and food services (51 per cent) and administration services, waste management and remediation services (51 per cent) said they’re expecting obstacles related to recruiting and retaining skilled employees over the next three months.
Nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of employers that are experiencing recruitment and retention difficulties said these challenges have increased over the last 12 months. Indeed, nine per cent of businesses said they expect to have more job vacancies over the next three months, a percentage that increases among employers in the accommodation and food services (16 per cent) and retail trade (16 per cent) sectors.
A separate report by Statistics Canada found the proportion of employees in hybrid working arrangements rose 0.4 percentage points to 9.4 per cent in November, continuing a gradual upward trend since the beginning of 2022. The proportion of workers aged 15 to 69 who usually work exclusively at home (16 per cent) was little changed in November.
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