Favourable hiring climate in first quarter of 2021 in Hamilton: report

A new report includes some encouraging news for job seekers in Hamilton.

The latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey shows Hamilton-area employers are expecting a favourable hiring climate for the first quarter of 2021.

The survey shows 19 per cent of employers plan to hire for the upcoming quarter, compared with 10 per cent of employers last year at this time.

“With seasonal variations removed from the data, Hamilton’s first quarter Net Employment Outlook of +16 per cent is a six percentage point increase from the previous quarterly Outlook,” said Natasha Djukic of Manpower’s Stoney Creek office.

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“It’s also a nine percentage point increase from the Outlook reported during the same time last year, indicating a positive hiring pace for the upcoming months.”

Some 62 per cent of local employers plan to maintain their current staffing levels according to the report, while the remaining 19 per cent say they’re unsure of their hiring intentions.

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“With the uncertainty surrounding the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a moderate hiring Outlook for employers in the first quarter of 2021 can be seen as a positive development,” said Darlene Minatel, country manager of ManpowerGroup Canada.

“With nine of the 10 industry sectors expecting to add workers in the upcoming quarter, there will be opportunities for job seekers. All four regions of the country have positive employment Outlooks for the first quarter of 2021 but it’s still challenging for job seekers in Western Canada with a flat employment Outlook (+1 per cent).”