New Survey: Majority of Companies Prefer to Reskill Current Employees Rather Than Hire New

New Survey: Majority of Companies Prefer to Reskill Current Employees Rather Than Hire New 

Employees Who Have Opportunities for Growth More Likely to Stay

As labour shortages worsen and the number of jobs openings rise, a majority of Canadian companies (71%) say they would prefer to reskill their current employees for new roles than hire from outside the organization, according to a survey by The Harris Poll, commissioned by Express Employment Professionals.

Almost half (47%) of Canadian companies surveyed say they plan to reskill current employees this year (i.e., train a current employee for a new position or teach them new skills for their current role). This increases with company size, as only one quarter (25%) of companies with 2-9 employees say they plan to reskill their employees, compared to two-thirds (67%) of companies with 100 or more employees.

Among businesses planning to reskill their employees, they most commonly plan to do this by offering company-led training sessions or programs (63%), providing on-the-job training by other employees (53%) and/or partnering with a third-party that offers trainings or courses (41%).  

Offering these opportunities for employees has been found to be worthwhile for companies, as a recent survey found that two-thirds (67%) of Canadian employees reported being "more productive and confident in their organization's leadership" if provided with upskilling opportunities, compared to those without.

In a rapidly evolving workforce, businesses can see the benefits of reskilling, but this is not limited to only the top brass. 

"Employees should take the initiative to reskill or upskill on their own, as well, to maximize their career potential," Express CEO Bill Stoller said. "The jobs of tomorrow may require a different skillset, and companies value job seekers who are motivated self-starters over those who are willing to be left behind."

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online within Canada by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between March 23 and April 12, 2021, among 505 Canadian hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in Canada who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than 1 employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

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If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Ana Curic at (613) 858-2622 or email ana@mapleleafstrategies.com.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing company has more than 830 franchises in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Since inception, Express has put more than 9 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. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 526,000 people globally in 2020. For more information, visit www.ExpressPros.com.