Canadians Eager to Get Back to Work - Safely
Company Added
Company Removed
Apply to Request List

Canadians Eager to Get Back to Work - Safely

Hot Job Opportunities in the Post COVID-19 New Normal

Federal Support May Be Holding Workers Back

TORONTO, May 13, 2020 // GLOBE NEWSWIRE // - As Canadian employers and employees prepare for the post COVID-19 new normal, some industries are poised for early success, while others may take longer to adapt.

Express Employment Professionals asked franchise owners across Canada which jobs they think will be most in-demand in the coming weeks and months. Among the jobs identified were:

  • Manufacturing in the Auto Sector
  • Manufacturing/Production-Related
  • Procurement and Supply Chain Management (PSCM)
  • Plant Operators
  • Production Leads/Supervisors
  • Skilled Labourers/Machinists
  • Millwrights
  • Inventory/Warehouse Personnel
  • Administrative

Jessica Culo, Express franchise owner in Edmonton, Alberta, recently surveyed several clients and "70% said their priority will be to bring back the employees they laid off."

Sarnia, Ontario, Express franchise owner, Bruce Hein noted that he expects companies to prioritize hiring for positions that were put on hold since mid-March. Perhaps not surprisingly, he also expects that "some companies will likely hire temperature screeners."

Brent Pollington, Express owner in Vancouver, B.C., worries government programs such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) have incentivized much of the workforce to stay home. He notes that while "this has been hugely helpful in flattening the curve, it's also had an adverse effect where workers have been disincentivized to go back to work."

Pollington expects industrial and labour-type positions will continue to be in demand, and he anticipates these needs growing as business and life normalize.

"Businesses will face hiring challenges because a large number of foreign workers have returned to their home countries," he notes. "Businesses have relied on these workers for a long time and will now struggle to meet their needs."

Daniel Purdy, Express franchise owner based in Abbotsford, B.C., notes that one of the main concerns of business owners and executives "is whether or not their former employees will return to work for them, their competitors or another industry entirely."

The franchise owners all agree that businesses are keen to get back to work safely and as soon as possible.

"I think businesses are eager to get started again," says Dwayne Williams, Express franchise owner from Guelph, Ontario. He notes that businesses in his area understand that there is still a risk, "but being shut down for this long has been financially challenging for many companies."

In the Sarnia area, "companies are antsy to move forward and get back on track," Hein said. "The priority will be ensuring employees are comfortable returning to work by having strict social distancing measures in place."

Pollington thinks that many people hope to return to the new normal as soon as possible.

"Remote work has been manageable but not optimal," he said. "Teams thrive in environments where they can leverage each other's strengths and adapt to new issues more quickly. Although those who have managed are doing just that, managing, I feel the majority want to return to some normalcy and to be able to focus on growing as opposed to triage and adapting to the change that has been forced on us."

Culo notes that businesses here in Canada "seem more cautious" than our neighbours to the south. However, "those who have been laid off want to get back to work," she says. "Those who kept their jobs are trying to pick up more hours/more work and are also eager to see their colleagues back to work."

“As we move to the new normal post-COVID, there will be abundant opportunities to get back to work safely, which helps workers and will have a positive impact on local economies,” said Express CEO Bill Stoller.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Adria Minsky at (416) 620-7111 or email adria@mapleleafstrategies.com.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 825 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa, and beginning in 2020 will expand to Australia and New Zealand. Since its inception, Express has put more than 8 million people to work worldwide.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, our international network of franchises offer localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve, employing 552,000 people across North America in 2019. For more information, visit www.ExpressPros.com.

SOURCE Express Employment Professionals

###

Comments:

comments powered by Disqus
Share This Page

Subscribe to our Newsletters