In this last quarter of 2012, provincial disparities and significant differences, depending on the business sector, explain a modest hiring climate and a Net Employment Outlook of 10% across the county.
An “favourable” hiring climate for this last quarter of 2012. This is what the latest Manpower employment outlook barometer highlights. With 10% net employment outlook, the forecast is still actually positive. But prudence and modesty is still called for – in the same period last year there were some three additional points added to the calculation.
Out of 1,900 Canadian business leaders interviewed for the study, about 75% expect to maintain the status quo of their workforce in the next while. And although 16% plant to hire, 7% are ready to reduce their payroll. Finally, uncertainty is in order for 2% of them.
Forecasts that vary between provinces… In the West, the hiring climate seems to be heating up: the Net Employment Outlook is over 18% on the Pacific coast. Optimism is also the order of the day in Quebec and most of the Atlantic Provinces, where 12 to 13% Net Employment Outlooks are planned for the end of this year. In Ontario, however, there is now only 8% Net Employment Outlook according to the Manpower barometer.
…and depending on the business sectors
Although the provinces are not all in the same boat, the various fields of activity are similar. At the head of good prognoses is the mining industry, with 18% Net Employment Outlook. This is followed by transport services (+15%), the finance, insurance and real estate sectors (+14%), construction (+14%) and the wholesale and retail trade (+12%). Far behind is public administration, with a Net Employment Outlook of only 8%, then education (+6%) and manufacturing (+5%).
These figures are not enough to define the vitality of business areas and it is necessary to put them back into perspective: although the mining industry shows a favourable projection, the 18% Net Employment Outlook shown today hides a reduction of five points compared to the previous quarter. Conversely, the education sector, with a Net Employment Outlook of 6%, is moving ahead: in the last quarter, the Manpower barometer conclusions showed one point less.