One-third of employed Canadians are on the hunt for better job opportunities but may be in for a longer and potentially more challenging search as the tables are turning from employees to employers having the upper hand in the job market, according to a new survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals. 

 

Job seekers who are employed report having worked for their current company for an average of nine years, but 1 in 3 are actively looking for a new job (33%). The main reasons these employees are looking to leave their current job include dissatisfaction with their advancement opportunities (47%), salary (38%), reskilling/upskilling opportunities (36%), benefits (34%), personal fulfillment (33%) and remote work opportunities (32%). 

 

Better compensation (44%), improved work/life balance (35%) and expanded growth opportunities (30%) top the list of what employed jobseekers are looking for in a new job.

 

But it may not be as easy for job seekers to find a new job compared to the previous few years. The majority of employed job seekers believe employers have the upper hand in the job market in general (60%), and more specifically when it comes to salary negotiations (64%), flexible schedules (61%) and remote work arrangements (56%). In addition, about half (54%) believe it will be difficult to find a job in the next 6 months.

 

Data from employers also suggest that the tables may be turning more in favour of employers when it comes to the job market. In 2022, 40% of employers said they have open positions they could not fill due to lack of applicants, but that is down this year to 35%.  In addition, the proportion of companies that say they have positions to fill due to employee turnover has decreased from 53% last year to 47% this year. 

 

“There is a tremendous cost in terms of time and internal resources to hire new talent and the return on a new vs present employee lags as learning and development must take place before productive returns can be assessed,” said Michael Elliott, franchise owner of London and Kitchener/Waterloo franchises. “Companies need to spend more time on initiatives that promote employee satisfaction. We’ve seen time and again that salary alone does not improve job satisfaction. The companies that get it right typically involve employees in developing their strategy to retain staff.”

 

“While the nation’s unemployment rate is still low, these survey results tell us the tight labour market could be easing to produce more balance between job openings and available workers,” said Bill Stoller, Express Employment International CEO. “However, there’s still work to be done to recruit top talent, and it appears salary, benefits and work/life balance are what employees are after.”

 

Survey Methodology
The Job Seeker Survey was conducted online within Canada by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from June 13 and June 26, 2023, among 507 adults ages 18 and older who are employed or not employed but looking for work and looking for a new job. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, household income and propensity to be online, to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 5.6 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

 

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 579,000 people globally in 2022

and more than 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com/CA.

 

The London, ON Express office is located at 300 Dundas St and serves the greater region that includes St. Thomas, Woodstock, Ingersoll, Strathroy. The Kitchener/Waterloo office is located in the Frederick Mall at 385 Frederick St. Kitchener. Both locations specialize in Light Industrial, Administrative, and Skilled Trades jobs, on a temporary or permanent basis. The Specialized Recruiting Group focuses on several niche markets, assisting companies to find mid-level to C-Suite candidates to fill permanent positions. Local business and applicants are encouraged to stop by the offices, or visit  www.expresspros.com/london/ or www.expresspros.com/kitchener/.

  

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment  

International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor 

supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.