Cambridge Chamber of Commerce

An ongoing labour shortage continues to hamper Canada’s economic recovery in wake of the pandemic.

 

In fact, recent research published by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) indicates that 64% of Canadian business says labour shortages are limiting their growth.

 

The BDC also reports that 55% of Canadian entrepreneurs are struggling to hire the workers they need and as a result, must now work longer hours themselves and delay or even refuse orders they can’t fill. As well, more than a quarter say they are having a difficult time even retaining current employees.

 

This news doesn’t come as a surprise to Mike Jennings, President of the Cambridge-based digital marketing agency MoreSALES, who has been keeping close tabs on the latest trends as employers in all sectors deal with continued labour shortages.

 

“The whole interview process is reversed right now. People aren’t coming in to interview for a job, they’re interviewing the company to see if they get to hire them or not,” he says, adding those in the skilled labour category are in very high demand.

 

According to CPA (Chartered Professional Accountants) Canada, Canadians in general have changed throughout the pandemic. While some decided being locked out of work provided them with the ideal motive to retire, at least 20% of the thousands who lost their jobs have changed sectors looking for work in places that not only may pay more but provide them with opportunities for advancement.

 

“A lot has to do with the culture of the company,” says Mike, noting surveys targeting millennials shows that flexibility at work and potential opportunities for nurturing and advancement tops wage expectations in terms of importance. “I think the smarter companies get it and those that are smart hire well will do well.”

 

He says more flexibility in terms of hours and the ability to work from home is key when it comes to attracting new talent, especially parents looking to return to the workforce following paternal leaves.

 

However, Mike knows this isn’t always the case for many companies, especially those in the manufacturing sector.

 

“If you’re a machine shop you can’t be all that flexible with your hours,” he says, adding in this case having an up-to-date website is vital since potential talent will do their research before submitting a resume. “If you’re thinking of working for a company that’s progressive and is going to pay well, you’re going to look at their website. But if that website hasn’t been touched in years and there is nothing about the employment situation or the culture of the company, then you’ve got a problem.”

 

As well, while social media is a great way to promote your company or business and attract potential talent, Mike encourages companies to be very strategic in their approach.

 

“It really depends on the company. If you’re a B2B company, I wouldn’t waste a lot of time on Instagram or Facebook,” he says. “I would focus more on LinkedIn or YouTube video clips outlining what the working environment is like at your company.”

 

He says connecting your staff on LinkedIn is a great way for potential employees to get a ‘sneak peek’ at your workplace.

 

“It will give them a sense of what kind of people they could be working with,” says Mike.

 

Visit https://moresales.ca to learn more.

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