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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