WELLINGTON COUNTY – Local employers are facing challenges retaining workers in the face of increased cost of living and lack of opportunity for professional growth. These are some of the findings from a survey released by the Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin earlier this year.
“Employers are still having problems retaining people,” said board executive director Charlene Hofbauer.
The biannual EmployerOne survey collected data from employers in Waterloo Region, Dufferin and Wellington counties, as well as Guelph, about their skills needs, recruitment practices, hiring, layoffs and more.
Speaking to the Advertiser this month about the results, Hofbauer noted that this year’s survey was “very Wellington County and Guelph-centric,” with many of the 245 employers who responded coming from the area. But she said the issues faced are universal.
At 52 percent, just over half of the employers surveyed said retention was an issue in their company. That number was 58% in the previous survey. The top reason for this cited by employers was “not enough positions that people can move into.”
“A lot of industry in Wellington is very flat,” said Hofbauer, explaining that if workers don’t see opportunities for growth with a company, they move on.
“Unless there’s something new to learn, they’re going to lose those employees,” she said.
Other top reasons included companies paying less than others in their industry, employees not fully understanding their role, and a lack of housing in the community that workers can afford.
Hofbauer said it’s important for employers to know whether their wages are competitive, but when it comes to a lack of positions for employees to move into, it will be up to individual employers to figure out how to keep their people engaged.
Asked about insights job seekers might glean from the survey, Hofbauer pointed out that most employers expressed a willingness to train workers who brought the right “soft skills” – things like communication skills and dependability – to the position.
“We find 90 per cent of employers will help you figure out the technical piece . . . because you bring the other things that are important to employers,” she said.
The report also lists hard-to-fill positions by industry, providing an idea of jobs for which it might be worth investing in training.
“That can help figure out what would be the biggest bang for your buck,” Hofbauer said.
Another interesting finding in the report is the fact that the top recruitment method listed by employers is word of mouth.
“Companies rely on those within the organization to help bring in quality people that not only aid the business but also the workplace culture as a whole,” the report said.
To check out the full report, visit workforceplanningboard.com.
