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By Troy Gillard

Tough outlook for job seekers

Disappointing hiring climate anticipated for Red Deer to start 2021

Dec 8, 2020 | 9:16 AM

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 9% of employers plan to hire for the upcoming quarter, while 9% anticipate cutbacks,” stated Randy Upright, CEO of Manpower’s Alberta Region. “Another 81% of employers plan to maintain their current staffing levels in the upcoming quarter, while the remaining 1% of employers are unsure of their hiring intentions.”

“With seasonal variations removed from the data, Red Deer’s first quarter Net Employment Outlook of -3% is a five percentage point decrease when compared to the previous quarterly Outlook,” said Upright. “It is also a three percentage point decrease from the Outlook reported during the same time last year, indicating a slumping hiring pace for the upcoming months.”

With seasonal variations removed from the data, the Net Employment Outlook for Canada is +7%. This is a one percentage point increase when compared to the previous quarterly Outlook (4Q 2020) and a three percentage point decrease from the Outlook reported during the same time last year (1Q 2020). Employers in all four regions of the country and in nine industry sectors expect to increase payrolls next quarter.

The survey of over 1,200 employers across Canada reveals that 12% of employers plan to increase their staffing levels in the first quarter of 2021, while 9% anticipate cutbacks. Meanwhile, 74% of the employers surveyed expect their current staffing levels to remain unchanged, while the remaining 5% are unsure of their hiring intentions.

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The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact businesses, Manpower says, with 41% of employers expecting to return to pre-COVID -19 hiring levels within the next 12 months while 26% of employers don’t expect to ever return to pre-COVID hiring levels.

“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, Country Manager of ManpowerGroup Canada. “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 (+1%).”