Career development in the canadian workplace location breakdown

Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey

Location Comparison: Rural, Outside Major Cities, Major Cities December 2014

Research Details

Survey conducted by: Environics Research Group Survey methodology: • • • •

Telephone survey conducted among 500 senior officials from Canadian business Survey took place from October 25 to November 11, 2013 Sampling method designed to complete interviews within businesses randomly selected across Canada Results in this document may not add up to 100% (due to rounding or multiple responses as well as the omission of “don’t know” answers)

2

Respondents

274

129 97

Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

3: Overview

Including yourself, how many employees does your company currently have?

63%

<10

43% 42% 20%

10-­‐49

24% 18% 3%

50-­‐99

6%

Rural

2%

100-­‐49 9

Outside Major Ci6es

3%

Major Ci6es

7% 11% 9%

500+

19% 27%

4: Overview

Looking ahead to the coming year, what would you say is the greatest challenge facing Canadian businesses in general?

27%

Shortage of skilled workers 21% 22%

General state of the economy 7% 7%

Foreign compe66on Increasing overhead/opera6on costs Shortage of quality workers (other)

5%

Regula6on/red tape

Lack of funding/financing

4% 2%

High Canadian dollar

Onboarding young workers

12% 8%

4% 4%

Marke6ng/aZrac6ng new customers

7%

5%

Re6rement of senior employees

Staff reten6on (general)

9% 6%

4%

11%

6%

5%

Taxes

4% 3%

2% 2% 2%

10%

8%

3%

Financial growth/profitability

8%

4% 4%

7% 5% 5%

25%

6%

Rural Outside Major Ci6es Major Ci6es

5%

4% 4% 4%

5: Overview

31%

33%

To what extent would you say that each of the following presents a challenge to your business right now?

Loss of senior employees to re6rement

Rural Outside Major Ci1es Major Ci1es

Keeping up with technology

Rural Outside Major Ci1es Major Ci1es

8%

23%

5%

25%

8%

General state of the economy

Loss of talented employees to other organiza6ons

12%

47%

Finding young workers

Outside Major Ci1es Major Ci1es

36%

17%

37%

14%

44%

31% 16%

23%

34%

18% 21%

31% 25%

Somewhat challenging

24%

29% 23%

9% 23%

23%

28% 41%

8%

22%

31%

5%

12%

37%

20%

Very challenging

16%

21%

35%

16%

11%

19%

36%

Rural

16%

19%

43%

Major Ci1es

14%

22%

39%

27%

18%

17%

26%

29%

13%

8%

34%

36%

Outside Major Ci1es

Major Ci1es

27%

34%

Rural

16% 21%

46%

22%

9%

27%

18%

Outside Major Ci1es

Outside Major Ci1es

27%

44%

Rural

Rural

39%

48%

Outside Major Ci1es

Major Ci1es

39%

22%

14%

Major Ci1es

Regula6on and red tape

45%

28%

27%

Rural

Shortage of skilled workers

20%

23% 19%

24% 29%

Not very challenging

16% 24% 27%

Not at all challenging

6: Overview

Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey

Recruitment: 6 Questions

7

In general, how easy or difficult is it to find people with the right skill set to fill positions in your company? Is it...?

Rural [VALUE] 14%

Outside Major Ci6es 4%

Major Ci6es

9%

Very easy

41%

25%

17%

Somewhat easy

1%

37%

45%

23%

47%

Somewhat difficult

21%

Very difficult

2%

[VALUE]

Depends on the posi6on

8: Recruitment

What are the main reasons it is difficult to find the right candidates?

58%

Hard to find qualified candidates/with right skill set 12% 15% 17%

Hard to find reliable candidates/with right work ethic Company's physical loca6on is a barrier

65% 68%

14%

3% 8%

Very compe66ve job market in this industry

28%

13% 11%

We can only offer low/uncompe66ve wages 10% 14% (including seasonal) 12% Takes too much 6me/effort to find right candidate Hard to break through noise/get job/company no6ced

4% 5% 3% 3%

Tradi6onal recruitment approaches no longer as effec6ve

1% 3% 2%

Don't provide career advancement opportuni6es

3% 2% 2%

Regula6ons/ red tape (e.g. government, unions)

1% 3% 2%

8%

Rural

8%

Outside Major Ci6es Major Ci6es

9: Recruitment

Has your business done any of the following in the past five years in order to find skilled employees?

44%

Recruited through social media

45%

Marketed the advantages of working at your organisa6on

51% 52%

51%

55% 61%

Offered training and advancement for lower-­‐level employees

Used automated resume sojware

9% 13%

Outsourced recruitment to search 14%

or personnel firms

Used community employment agencies

Iden6fied internal candidates

Employee referral

65%

68%

19%

Rural 29%

Outside Major Ci6es

41% 38% 40%

Major Ci6es 43%

54%

67% 65% 61%

71%

10: Recruitment

74%

When searching for skilled employees, would you say that resumes matter more than in the past, less than in the past or about the same as always?

Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

14%

14%

71%

10%

12%

77%

8%

15%

76%

More

Less

About the same

11: Recruitment

How important to you is a potential employees online profile or footprint? Is it...?

Rural

11%

Outside Major Ci6es

11%

Major Ci6es

10%

Very important

36%

43%

39%

Somewhat important

24%

25%

26%

35%

Not very important

18%

14%

Not at all important

12: Recruitment

And how much effort would you say your company puts into customizing the recruitment approach in order to reach and attract members of underrepresented groups?

Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

16%

10%

25%

54%

35%

16%

A lot of effort

53%

38%

40%

Some effort

Not much effort

13: Recruitment

Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey

Skills Gap: 3 Questions

14

There is a gap between the skill level and experience that prospective employees have, and what organizations in my industry are looking for…

“Strongly Agree/Somewhat Agree”: In the past five years, would you say that the skills gap in your industry has increased, decreased or stayed the same?

Rural

28%

Outside Major 19% Ci6es Major Ci6es

26%

45%

54%

43%

18%

4%

22%

2%

23%

Rural

34% 14%

52%

Outside Major 36% 15% 47% Ci6es

5%

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

Major Ci6es

Increased

37%

17%

Decreased

44%

Stayed the same

15: Skills Gap

“Strongly agree/Somewhat agree”: Which of the following statements is closer to your own opinion: The best way to close the skills gap is for…

46%

45%

44%

38%

43%

37%

18%

15% 10%

…employers to offer more …prospec6ve employees to training to new employees beZer prepare themselves for the labour market Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

both/combina6on of the two

Major Ci6es

16: Skills Gap

Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey

Soft Skills: 4 Questions

17

What soft skills are most important to you in an employee?

Posi6ve aqtude 26% 26% 25%

Communica6on skills Teamwork skills

20%

12%

Flexibility/adaptability

13%

Honesty/integrity 7%

10% 10% 8%

Problem-­‐solving skills

7%

Accountability

5%

10% 7% 8%

4%

Self-­‐confidence

5%

6% 3% 2%

2%

11% 8%

Rural Outside Major Ci6es

6%

5%

Goal-­‐oriented

[VALUE]

Major Ci6es

6% 6%

3%

22%

8%

6%

3%

Dedica6on/passion

18%

22%

10%

Reliability/dependability

Presenta6on

34%

11% 12%

9%

Time management abili6es

Competence/diligence

21%

14%

Interpersonal/customer service skills

Work well under pressure

31%

27%

Strong work ethic

Willingness/ability to learn

38% 38%

29%

4%

5% 5% 4% 4%

8% 8%

18: Soft Skills

How easy or difficult is it to find people with these soft skills? Is it...?

[VALUE] Rural

22%

52%

20%

Outside Major Ci6es 4%

29%

49%

Major Ci6es 4%

29%

50%

Very easy

Somewhat easy

Somewhat difficult

16%

16%

Very difficult

1%

1%

2%

Depends on posi6on

19: Soft Skills

If you are having difficulty finding technically skilled workers, is your organization more likely to...

72% 62%

56%

28% 29% 16% 6% Hire someone with soj skills Keep searching un6l you find who is a good fit and provide someone with the right training technical skills Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

8%

12%

Depends

Major Ci6es

20: Skills Gap

Are senior level positions in your organization more likely to be filled by…?

60%

62% 50%

28% 19%

16% 17%

16% 9%

Current employees who have New employees brought in advanced within the from other organiza6ons organiza6on Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Depends

Major Ci6es

21: Skills Gap

Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey

Training: 8 Questions

22

Does your organization provide new employees with any of the following types of training?

74%

Orienta6on

81% 83% 59%

Mentorship

66% 67% 44% 44% 47%

Appren6ceship

84%

Job-­‐specific training

91% 87%

Do not offer training

4% 2% 2%

Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

23: Training

Would you say that your organization is very willing, somewhat willing, not very willing or not at all willing to hire and train new employees who may lack in some technical skills?

Rural

47%

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

32%

39%

47%

33%

Very willing

10%

43%

Somewhat willing

Not very willing

5%

9% 4%

16%

5%

Not at all willing

24: Training

Would you say that losing skilled employees in which you have invested training to other organizations is...?

Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

29%

22%

29%

A great concern

37%

42%

37%

Somewhat of a concern

23%

20%

16%

23%

Not really a concern

10%

10%

Not at all a concern

25: Training

Does your organization use any of the following to fill your labour needs?

42%

Co-­‐opera6ve educa6on programs

43% 44% 38%

Volunteer opportuni6es

39% 40% 31%

Appren6ceships

35% 37% 36%

Wage subsidy programs

35% 30% 25%

Internships

33% 40%

Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

26: Training

Does your organization provide ongoing training for long-standing employees?

Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es If “yes”, is the training you provide to staff technical in nature, or focused on soj skills, such as team building or diversity awareness?

84%

87%

36%

Technical

72%

40% [VALUE]

27%

Soj Skills

20% [VALUE]

22% 15%

11% 36%

Yes

No

Both

39% [VALUE]

27: Training

Does your organization provide employees with professional development opportunities, such as conferences or workshops?

73%

78%

67%

27%

27% 19%

Yes Rural

No Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

28: Training

Does your organization offer formal coaching or mentoring programs for employees?

55% 51% 43%

43%

45%

Yes Rural

53%

No Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

29: Training

Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey

Youth Employment: 4 Questions

30

Which of the following do you think is the greatest reason unemployment is particularly high for young workers under the age of 25?

14%

A lack of real world experience

18% 19%

14% 13%

Older workers staying at their jobs longer A lack of networking and job search skills

10%

2% 4% 5%

28%

They are too demanding in the job they want Fewer entry-­‐level jobs available Lack of soj skills

17% 18%

7% 12% 13%

7%

Outside Major Ci6es

9% 9%

Major Ci6es

8%

Lack of technical skills Lack of communica6on skills necessary to convey abili6es in an applica6on or interview

Rural

10% 13%

10% 9% 7%

31: Youth Employment

When recruiting job candidates, how much effort does your company put into customizing the recruitment approach in order to reach young workers? Would you say...?

43%

42%

42% 39% 35%

29% 22%

21% 16%

A lot of effort

Some effort Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Not much effort Major Ci6es

32: Youth Employment

Which of the following is your organization doing to attract younger workers?

39%

Online job sites/boards

58%

59%

39%

Recrui6ng through social media

50% 33%

Government sites

37% 35%

Recrui6ng through youth-­‐serving agencies

39%

18% 34%

33%

Rural

25%

Offering paid internships Offering unpaid internships

40%

26%

Recrui6ng on campuses Taking part in job fairs

56%

28%

Outside Major Ci6es 36%

Major Ci6es

16% 24%

28%

26%

16%

20%

33: Youth Employment

Would you say that hiring and training recent grads and young adults is part of your organization's Corporate Social Responsibility?

55% 51%

50% 45%

47%

40%

Yes Rural

No Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

34: Youth Employment

Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey

Career Management: 5 Questions

35

Would you say that you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with the following statement: Employers have a responsibility to provide career management programs for their employees.

Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es

21%

42%

27%

43%

32%

Strongly agree

23%

23%

47%

Somewhat agree

12%

Somewhat disagree

7%

15%

6%

Strongly disagree

36: Career Management

Does your organization have career management programs for employees?

Rural

Outside Major Ci6es

Major Ci6es If “yes”, what are they?

[VALUE] [VALUE]

[VALUE]

Individually tailored training/coaching

[VALUE] [VALUE] 29% [VALUE]

Career planning/training/ 24% educa6on

33%

[VALUE]

Succession/ 18% advancement programs

[VALUE]

18%

Skills development programs

[VALUE] [VALUE]

[VALUE] 18% 18% [VALUE]

Mentorship/ 16% appren6ceship programs 12%

Educa6on reimbursement/training encouragement

Yes

No Leadership programs

[VALUE] 15% 12% [VALUE] 10% 10%

37: Career Management

Of the following, which presents the greatest challenge to offering career management programs? Is it...?

33%

Cost

32% 33% 40%

Time

46% 44% 16%

Lack of exper6se

14% 11%

None of the above

4%

Rural

4%

Outside Major Ci6es

4%

Major Ci6es

2%

Not our responsibility

2% 2%

38: Career Management

How important would you say it is to your organization to provide employees the opportunities to reach their own career goals?

Is it...?

Rural

39%

45%

6% 4%

Outside Major Ci6es

46%

41%

7% 5%

Major Ci6es

45%

43%

5% 7%

Very important

Somewhat important

Not very important

Not at all important

39: Career Management

Career Development in the Canadian Workplace: National Business Survey

Please visit the CERIC website at ceric.ca to download the National Business Survey Executive Summary (available in English and French) and related information as it becomes available.

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