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2021 first-quarter hiring climate for Red Deer “disappointing,” says survey

Nine per cent expect to hire, nine per cent expect to cut staff in Red Deer
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Red Deer area employers expect a disappointing hiring climate for the first quarter of 2021, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.

“Survey data reveals that nine per cent of employers plan to hire for the upcoming quarter, while nine per cent anticipate cutbacks,” said Randy Upright, CEO of Manpower’s Alberta Region.

“Another 81 per cent of employers plan to maintain their current staffing levels in the upcoming quarter, while the remaining one per cent of employers are unsure of their hiring intentions.”

When seasonal variations are removed from the data, the first quarter outlook is down five per cent from fourth quarter projections and three per cent from first quarter 2020 expectations.

Nationally, the picture is a little brighter.

ManpowerGroup says employers expect a “moderate hiring pace” over the next three months. The net employment outlook for the first quarter 2021 is up seven per cent, with seasonal variations removed. That is up from six per cent in the fourth quarter 2020 and up from three per cent from the first quarter this year.

In its survey of 1,200 employers nation-wide, 12 per cent plan to increase staffing levels in the next quarter. Nine per cent anticipate payroll cutbacks and 74 per cent expect staffing levels to remain the same. Five per cent were unsure about future hiring plans.

“With the uncertainty surrounding the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, a moderate hiring outlook for employers in the first quarter of 2021 can be seen as a positive development,” said Darlene Minatel, ManpowerGroup Canada’s country manager.

“With nine of the ten industry sectors expecting to add workers in the upcoming quarter, there will be opportunities for job seekers. All four regions of the country have positive employment outlooks for the first quarter of 2021 but it’s still challenging for job seekers in Western Canada with a flat employment outlook (one per cent).”

Ontario and Quebec expect nine per cent boost in hiring prospects and Atlantic Canada is at six per cent.



pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com

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