RIM voted most attractive employer by Canadians
Research in Motion (RIM) has just taken the number 1 title in the Randstad Award 2011 for most attractive employer in Canada, according to a poll of more than 7,000 jobseekers and employees. The maker of BlackBerry smart phones was tops in six out of 10 categories. Respondents perceived RIM as a company that offers a pleasant work atmosphere, career progression and quality training, as well as strong management, best salary and interesting job content. IBM, McGill University, Air Canada and Bombardier also ranked in the top five.
Towers Watson says salaries to increase an average of 3.2%
According to an annual survey by Towers Watson, Canadian salaries should increase in 2012, with 99% of the 239 employers polled projecting average increases of 3.2%—a sign that salary budgets are slowly moving back to pre-recession levels. Not everyone should expect raises, however. In 2011, employees who did not meet expectations received no merit increases while those who exceeded targets received raises of up to 5%—a trend that will likely continue in 2012. In contrast, very few firms are planning to freeze salaries next year.
More than half of employees don’t want their boss’s job
An OfficeTeam poll for National Boss Day shows that few workers today would like to be in their boss’s shoes. Responses were as follows to the question “Would you like to have your managers job?”: no (56%), yes (21%), doesn’t apply/no manager (22%). The survey also revealed that more workers between 18 and 34 wanted their manager’s position than other age groups. When asked if they could do a better job than their boss, 50% of the 648 employees polled said no, 31% said yes and 20% said it didn’t apply or they have no manager.
British Columbia to launch Family Day in 2013
The provincial government has just announced that British Columbia will join Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario in celebrating Family Day on the third Monday of February. The new statutory holiday will only take effect on February 18, 2013, though, to give employers time to adjust. The announcement was made during the Throne Speech of the Minister opening the fourth session of the 39th Parliament, which focused mainly on job creation in the province.
Unemployment rate down slightly in September
The new unemployment numbers have exceeded economists’ expectations. With 61,000 new full-time jobs and an unemployment rate of 7.1% in September, Canada is doing well in an uncertain economic context. According to Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate was down 0.2 points compared to August. The increase in employment was divided among teaching, professional, scientific and technical services, accommodation and food services, and human resources and public administration. The biggest drop was in British Columbia, where the unemployment rate decreased from 7.5% to 6.7% between August and September 2011.
Importance of following up after sending your résumé
Job seekers who are still hesitating about following up with potential employers after sending their résumé should wonder no longer. In a survey by Accountemps, 71% of 300 senior managers polled encouraged candidates to follow up within two weeks of applying, and only 2% advised candidates not to follow up. To the question “How long should a job seeker wait to follow up with the hiring manager after submitting a resume?”, most responded one week or less (38%), or one to two weeks (33%).
Morneau Shepell launches video counselling
Morneau Shepell, under its Shepell-fgi brand, is now offering Employee Assistance Program (EAP) support via video counselling—a Canadian first for an EAP provider. Using video, employees and their family will be able to benefit from individual meetings with a counsellor from the comfort of their own homes. The idea is to make accessing a network of professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers easier and more convenient. Morneau Shepell is a Canadian-based firm established in 1962 offering benefits and pension consulting, outsourcing, as well as health and productivity solutions.
LinkedIn launches Talent Pipeline
LinkedIn has just announced the launch of Talent Pipeline, a new solution for recruiters to more easily manage talent leads. The tool will enable the centralized follow-up of potential candidates from LinkedIn and other sources, easier finding of passive candidates, and provide access to a database updated in real time (experience updates, shared connections, recommendations, etc.). In addition, all users from the same group can connect on the same platform and work as a team. All of these features will be offered free of charge in LinkedIn’s Recruiter package starting in the first half of 2012.