Staffing agency Manpower is forecasting a flat hiring climate for Calgary and a moderate one for Edmonton heading into the first quarter of 2019.
Randy Upright, CEO of Manpower’s Alberta region, said survey data for Calgary indicates that eight per cent of employers plan to hire for the upcoming quarter (January to March), while three per cent anticipate cutbacks.
“Another 88 per cent of employers plan to maintain their current staffing levels in the upcoming quarter. The remaining one per cent are unsure of their hiring intentions,” he said.
“With seasonal variations removed from the data, Calgary’s first quarter net employment outlook of four per cent is a six percentage point increase when compared to the previous quarterly outlook. It is also a one percentage point decrease from the outlook reported during the same time last year, indicating a subdued hiring pace for the upcoming months.”
Upright said the survey data for Edmonton reveals that 15 per cent of employers plan to hire for the upcoming quarter while five per cent anticipate cutbacks.
“Another 80 per cent of employers plan to maintain their current staffing levels in the upcoming quarter,” he said.
“With seasonal variations removed from the data, Edmonton’s first quarter net employment outlook of 12 per cent is the same percentage when compared to the previous quarterly outlook. It is also a two percentage point decrease from the outlook reported during the same time last year, indicating a modest hiring pace for the upcoming months.”
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