Labour shortage cloud on horizon for local companies
41% of businesses surveyed during 6th annual Small Business Walk cite staffing challenges
Most Central Okanagan companies are growing and happy with the current business climate, but a labour shortage is starting to rear its head.
These findings came out of the just-released report the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission generated after the sixth annual Small Business Walk on Oct. 4.
During the walk, representatives from the commission and 13 other organizations, including municipalities, chambers of commerce and industry organizations, visited 221 businesses in the region, asking questions.
“During the annual Small Business Walk, volunteers went door to door to businesses in communities from Lake Country to Peachland to listen to business owners and ask a few key questions to capture the pulse of the smallbusiness community,” said commission director Corie Griffiths.
“This year’s walk included questions about employee retention and recruitment challenges, as well as the impact of fires and flooding in the region.”
While the number of businesses surveyed, 221, is a tiny fraction of the 13,600 total companies in the region, the results are considered to be reflective of the Central Okanagan’s economic prowess.
The walk saw businesses from all sectors, including retailers, restaurants, manufacturers and high-tech firms, surveyed.
“The business climate in the region continues to be strong, with 78 per cent of the 221 businesses surveyed indicating business is growing,” said Griffiths.
“Forty-one per cent of businesses cited staffing challenges, with positions in demand ranging from entry level to highly skilled.”
Besides taking the pulse of business, the results are used by the commission, municipalities and business groups to develop future programming.
For instance, knowing a labour shortage is here means organizations can lobby for more training in high school and more post-secondary courses to train youth for job openings.
Programs for adults to transition to the careers of tomorrow are also in place, and regional governments are pushing for more highly skilled immigrants to take on jobs that can’t be filled domestically.
Thirty-seven per cent of the labour shortage is for entry-level workers, 41 per cent is for semiskilled workers, and 23 per cent is for professional and skilled workers.
Workers are needed in virtually every field and profession, from most construction trades, butchers, bakers and chefs, servers, baristas and dishwashers to mechanics, hairstylists, legal secretaries, store managers, architects, engineers, audiologists, opticians and doctors.
Businesses visited were also asked about the impact of flooding in the spring and wildfires in the summer.
Close to half cited a slight softening of business due to one or both of the natural disasters.
Even though most businesses weren’t affected physically by high waters, evacuations or smoke, tourism was down and local residents were distracted, so there was less business.