Job seekers in the London region may have better chances of landing a new position over the next three months.
According to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, a third of local employers plan to hire during the second quarter of the year, while another 62 per cent intend to maintain their current staffing levels.
The remaining five per cent anticipate job losses.
“With seasonal variations removed from the data, London’s second quarter net employment outlook of +25% is a six-percentage point increase compared to the previous quarterly outlook,” said ManpowerGroup spokesperson Natasha Djukic. “It is also a 22-percentage point increase from the outlook reported during the same time last year, indicating a healthy hiring pace for the upcoming months.”
Nationally, the outlook isn't as promising with only 15 per cent of employers planning to hire between April and June. There is stability for the employed as the survey indicated staffing levels will remain unchanged for 77 per cent of employers. Roughly 4 per cent are eyeing cutbacks and another 4 per cent are unsure of their hiring intentions.
Sectors expected to add the staff in the second quarter of the year include manufacturing, public administration, transportation, finance and real estate, and construction.
“An ongoing moderate hiring outlook for employers in the second quarter of 2021, in light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, can be interpreted as a positive trajectory,” said Darlene Minatel, country manager of ManpowerGroup Canada. “With all ten industry sectors expecting to hire in the upcoming quarter, there will be opportunities for job seekers... With widespread COVID-19 vaccination on the horizon, employers appear to be cautiously optimistic and open to flexibility in consideration of the post-pandemic chapter for business.”
The survey of more than 1,300 employers across Canada also found half plan on having the majority of their workforce physically return to offices and facilities over the next six to 12 months. A mix of in-person and work from home will continue for 33 per cent over the same time period. Only six per cent stated they would keep employees working remotely full-time.
With the COVID-19 vaccination rollout continuing across the country, few workplaces are planning on mandating employees to get the shot. Only 8 per cent said they would require staff to be inoculated against the virus, while 27 per cent intend to encourage it without making it mandatory. Just over 40 per cent of employers said they would leave it up to individuals to decide whether to get the vaccine.
