COVID-19 clouds companies’ hiring prospects in Q3: ManpowerGroup
by CM Staff
...but hiring prospects for non-durable manufacturers are a positive 8%, up from the previous quarter
ManpowerGroup headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis.
TORONTO — Canadian employers expect hiring to be slow over the next three months – impacted by COVID-19 – although manufacturers of non-durables (consumable products) offer the strongest job prospects, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.
The global workplace solutions firm pegs hiring prospects for non-durable manufacturers in Q3 at 8%, an increase of 5% from Q2, but a decline of 2% from Q3-2019. Durables manufacturers offer much less promising hiring news. The net outlook is -9%, down 21% from Q2 and down 22% from Q2-2019.
The overall outlook is -10%, a 19% decrease compared to Q2 and down 21% from Q3-2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has directly impacted businesses with 71% of organizations saying normal business activity has been halted or suspended by the outbreak. Fifty-nine percent still expect to return to pre-COVID-19 hiring levels within the next 12 months. But employers in all four regions of the country and in eight industry sectors expect to decrease payrolls next quarter.
“A dim hiring outlook is not unexpected, given the economic lockdowns in the wake of the COVID-19 health emergency,” said Darlene Minatel, country manager of ManpowerGroup Canada. “Companies that are hiring generally fall into the category of being essential service or supportive of essential services during this time. The category of essential workers is expanding beyond those who got us through the crisis – grocery stores clerks and temperature checkers – to include those who will help lead us out of the crisis. Think of roles in the IT sector, including chip manufacturers and app developers, who are leading the shift to more flexible and remote work.”
The survey of more than 1,000 employers across Canada reveals 12% plan to increase staffing levels in the third quarter of 2020, while 17% anticipate cutbacks. 60% expect current staffing levels to remain unchanged, while the remaining 11% are unsure of their hiring intentions.
