Manpower Group predicts “subdued’ Townships hiring market

Employers in the Eastern Townships area should expect a subdued hiring climate for the third quarter of 2018, according to the latest Manpower Group Employment Outlook Survey.

“Survey data reveals that 20 per cent of employers plan to hire for the upcoming quarter (July to September), while zero per cent anticipate cutbacks,” stated Carla Rodrigues of Manpower’s Montreal office. Another 77 per cent of employers plan to maintain their current staffing levels in the upcoming quarter, while the remaining three per cent are unsure of their hiring intentions. “With seasonal variations removed from the data, the Eastern Townships’ third quarter Net Employment Outlook of one per cent is a 26 percentage point decrease when compared to the previous quarterly Outlook,” said Rodrigues. “It is also a decrease of three percentage points from the Outlook reported during the same time last year, indicating a stagnant hiring pace for the upcoming months.”

“Even though prospects are weaker in six of ten industry sectors compared to last quarter, we’re still seeing a positive hiring climate for most of the country,” said Darlene Minatel, Country Manager for Manpowergroup Canada. “The numbers reflect a pattern of a labour market nearing capacity, with unemployment in some regions at record lows. For job seekers, this could mean larger wage gains in the quarter to come.”