Many Canadian employers find it difficult to fill key positions, and half of them say they are feeling the pinch of a shortage of skilled workers, finds a new survey from CareerBuilder.ca.
Almost three in 10 employers – 29% – say they currently have jobs that have sat unfilled for 12 weeks or longer, and three-quarters of those respondents say these vacancies have hurt their companies.
“Companies nationwide are feeling the effect of a skills gap, from lower morale to higher retention rates to a loss of revenue,” CareerBuilder Canada managing director Ryan Lazar said. “Our findings indicate, however, that taking proactive efforts to train and reskill workers can go a long way in overcoming these challenges.
“While we still have a long way to go, the more we can identify the root of these challenges, the more opportunities we will find to bridge this gap.”
Thirty one per cent of all bosses surveyed said having job openings that are unfillable leads to work simply not getting done, and 22% say their companies are losing revenue. Respondents report their clients are affected by these job vacancies, with 24% saying delivery times are not being met and 23% saying work quality has suffered due to employees being overworked.
It’s not just the employers who are suffering. Lower employee morale (26%) and loss of motivation (23%) are hurting workers.
What are the causes of this skilled shortage? Employers say not enough workers are graduating in in-demand fields (52%), there is a lack of interest in required fields (48%) and employers and employees often have different expectations (41%). More than a third – 37% – say entry level jobs are becoming more complex, making them even harder to fill.
Some employers are taking control of the situation by providing on-the-job training, and 46% say they have hired someone without the necessary skills but trained them while they were working. This leads to increased employee motivation, loyalty and competitiveness.
