To The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—A growing number of employers say they are unhappy with the talent pool of workers available in the area.
A Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie survey of employers conducted in January found that 70% rated the availability of qualified workers as ’poor’ or ‘fair.’ The other 30% rated the availability as either ‘excellent’ – just 4% of the total – or ‘good.’
And satisfaction ratings have been declining over the years, the board says. Five years ago, 40% of employers rated the availability of qualified workers as ‘excellent’ or ‘good,’ which was lower than the 50% seen in 2014’s survey.
“The survey findings reflect the frustration many employers feel,” Executive Director Danette Dalton said. “The results also highlight the need for additional programs to develop the skills of residents. Many employers are looking to hire and grow their workforce and they require skilled and motivated staff.”
In some cases, difficulties hiring and retaining staff is seriously impacting businesses, Dalton said. This includes increased workloads for existing staff, reduced productivity, reduced customer service, fewer opening hours, and even the shelving of business expansion plans.
“More than two-thirds of businesses said they transferred work to existing staff to make up for their labour shortage, which increases the risks of workers burning out or just leaving,” she said.
When asked why positions were hard to fill, 40% of businesses said they didn’t get enough applicants and 33% said applicants didn’t have enough experience. Meanwhile, 31% said applicants didn’t show up for interviews or respond to job offers.
The 2023 EmployerOne survey was completed by 249 employers from Brantford, Six Nations, Mississaugas of the Credit, and Brant, Haldimand, and Norfolk counties. It was the first year for the survey since 2020, just prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some other EmployerOne highlights:
- Almost 4 in 5 businesses said they anticipate hiring in 2023, with the overwhelming number one reason being to replace staff;
- About 3 in 4 businesses lost staff in 2022, with 60% of those being quits, followed by dismissals at 19%;
- Almost 1 in 2 businesses said it is more difficult now to retain staff than prior to the pandemic;
- About 1 in 4 businesses said they have trouble retaining staff because they cannot offer competitive wages/benefits.
Many employers have stepped up their efforts to hire for hard-to-fill jobs and retain staff in multiple ways, according to the survey. This includes increasing wages/benefits, providing more training, and lowering experience and qualification requirements.
