Manpower predicts ‘downbeat’ hiring climate in Halifax
Posted Jun 9, 2020 02:38:13 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A new survey is finding employers in Halifax are largely uncertain about hiring moving into the third quarter of the year.
That's according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook which says to expect a roughly 10 per cent decrease year-over-year in hiring.
However market manager with Manpower in Nova Scotia, Hailey Coleman, says compared to the rest of the country, we're doing okay.
“In Ontario and B.C., they're up around -15 to -20 per cent so if we take the Maritimes as a whole, we're doing the best in the country actually,” she says.
Coleman attributes that to the relatively low COVID-19 numbers on the East Coast compared to other parts of Canada.
She adds there's reason to be optimistic going forward.
“As a whole, 59 per cent of employers expect to return to pre-COVID hiring levels within the next 12 months,” she explains.
The industries with the best outlook include non-durable manufacturing — including food, alcohol and clothing — services and transportation.
IT companies have also weathered the COVID storm well with many businesses ramping up their online presence and employees working remotely.
