Hiring favourable for manufacturing in Q3: Manpower

TORONTO: Manufacturers are expecting a mild to favourable hiring climate in the third quarter, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Balancing hiring against firing, manufacturers of durables are forecasting a favourable hiring environment with a net outlook of 12%.

Manpower Canada, part of a global workforce-staffing firm with offices in Toronto, said this outlook remains relatively stable based on the previous quarter and last year’s report.

The non-durables sector is more circumspect with a 4% outlook, indicating a mild hiring climate. Hiring intentions have moderately declined from Q2 when employers reported an outlook of 10%. This also represents a 10% drop from last year at this time.

The outlook is favourable across the board with an outlook of 12%, which is stable based on Q2 results but down 4% from last year.

Manpower said the results represent one of the more subdued employer forecasts in more than two years.

The survey of over 1,900 Canadian employers reveals that 23% plan to increase their payrolls in the third quarter, while 5% anticipate cutbacks and 70% expect to maintain their current staffing levels while 2% are unsure of their hiring intentions for the quarter.

“Job seekers in all regions are likely to benefit from a steady hiring climate from July through September, with employers in Western Canada reporting the most favourable Outlook,” says Byrne Luft, Manpower Canada’s vice-president of operations, staffing services.

Employers in the west registered an outlook of 18%, due in part to the robust hiring forecast reported by companies in transportation and public utilities. In Quebec employers anticipate an upbeat hiring climate with a 16% outlook. Employers in Ontario (10%) and Atlantic Canada (9%) project a modest third quarter.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is based on interviews with over 65,000 public and private employers worldwide.

Click here for the complete results.