How many Canadians are looking for a new job, and why

[Summitric]

February 11, 2022 by Adam Malik

How many Canadians are looking for a new job, and why​

Markus Winkler / Unsplash
More than a quarter of Canadians will soon be looking to say goodbye to their current employer and hello to something new, according to recent research.

In fact, they’re already doing so.

The bi-annual Job Optimism survey of more than 500 Canadian professionals from talent and business consulting firm Robert Half found that 28 per cent of workers will be looking for a new job in the first half of this year.

Just six months ago, that number was at 21 per cent.

The top reasons for wanting a change are a salary boost (59 per cent), greater appreciation for their skills and contributions (38 per cent) and the ability to work remotely permanently (35 per cent).

Who’s most looking to make a change? It’s Millennials (40 per cent) and employees who have been with their company between five and nine years (37 per cent). Furthermore, the survey found that almost one-in-five (19 per cent) of those looking for a new job would quit even without another one lined up.

“The tight labour market in Canada shows no signs of easing, which means competition remains fierce for talented professionals at all levels,” said David King, Canadian senior managing director of Robert Half. “With skilled workers in the driver’s seat, companies need to go above and beyond to keep their best talent on board. For managers, this means checking in regularly with their teams to gauge satisfaction, offering above-average compensation and benefits, providing opportunities for advancement, and ensuring employee recognition is top of mind.”

 

[SUMMIT TREE]

Im one of the unemployed. Put on unpaid leave for failure to comply with company vaccine policy.

 

[dragonweld28]

I quite my job as the company I worked for was in financial trouble and the owner put in into receivership. Worked at Brandt for a bit,(horrible company) then over to Canwel, and now back in the oil and gas industry. Has been a crazy, and rocky 2 yrs but made it thru.

 

[arff]

The tight labour market in Canada shows no signs of easing, which means competition remains fierce for talented professionals at all levels,” said David King, Canadian senior managing director of Robert Half. “With skilled workers in the driver’s seat, companies need to go above and beyond to keep their best talent on board. For managers, this means checking in regularly with their teams to gauge satisfaction, offering above-average compensation and benefits, providing opportunities for advancement, and ensuring employee recognition is top of mind.”

Compensation is a big thing, Pension plans and paid benefits. Just as one example.

 

[Luke The Drifter]

Talking to various vendors in my industry (heavy equipment), everyone is backlogged with work and crying to find decent techs, welders, machinists, labourers etc. I know for myself trying to find a tech has been tricky, pretty much everyone telling me that its a 1-2 week wait unless theres a cancellation or parts hangup. Rates are going up and I suspect wages will follow. A buddy of mine is running his own rig up in fort mac and said they just upped their rate and LOA since things are heating up in the market and they don't want to lose guys to the competition. Things are booming again it seems, only this time around we have a crumbling supply chain and a lot of guys that either retired or gave up on working in the O&G industries and are staying closer to home IE the maritimes.

 

[Flapjack]

The world was getting restless and everybody is covid drunk now...soon things will be different. I'm going to get ready for a change.

 

[MK4TDI]

Government of Canada is currently doing labor force surveys and I happen to be chosen for said survey. They sent me this little pamphlet that has som discouraging numbers in it.

 

[Lunch_Box]

Im looking for a new job. Going on 10 years working overseas and its starting to get old, then covid the past 2 years and all the added quarantines and im nearing my end. Just hard to want to go back to ch!t money and working 5 days a week for 2 days off.

 

[ABMax24]

Going to be a tough job finding good people for many companies. It seems a bunch of the experienced people that lived through '08, and'14, pulled the pin during covid. The ones that were any good found jobs elsewhere for better schedules and home life. The mediocre people found hit and miss jobs periodically and sat on CERB the rest of the time, and are now available for work. The young people to start out as apprentices don't exist either, none entered the industry the last couple years because the job prospects were so poor, some will now enter the labor market but a bunch of green people doesn't get the job done.

It's kind of the perfect storm, high oil prices, lots of work to get done, and nobody to do the work. The days of someone quitting their job today to start down the street tomorrow at $5/hr more are upon us yet again.

 

[arff]

Im looking for a new job. Going on 10 years working overseas and its starting to get old, then covid the past 2 years and all the added quarantines and im nearing my end. Just hard to want to go back to ch!t money and working 5 days a week for 2 days off.

Yes the 5 days a week and 2 off. I don’t miss those at all.

 

[Flapjack]

Best shift I ever had was 6 /12's / 3 off, 3 trucks shared 2 Super Bs 365