Nearly Half of Canadian Companies Plan to Add New Positions in the First Half of 2025
- 46 per cent plan to add new permanent roles; 49 per cent will be hiring for vacated positions
- Company growth, turnover, and project demands are fueling hiring plans
TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2024 /CNW/ - New research from talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half suggests that net new hiring will dip slightly but remain robust into the new year, while hiring for vacated positions will increase from the second half 2024. According to the company's State of Canadian Hiring Survey, 46 per cent of companies report plans to add new permanent positions in the first half of the year, and another 49 per cent plan to fill vacated positions. In addition, 54 per cent are increasing the number of contract professionals to aid with projects in 2025.
Hiring Plans for Permanent Staff | ||
Second Half 2024 | First Half 2025 | |
Adding new positions | 52 % | 46 % |
Filling vacated positions | 41 % | 49 % |
Not adding new or filling vacated positions | 5 % | 4 % |
Eliminating positions | 1 % | 1 % |
Hiring Plans by Company Size | |||
Small | Medium | Large | |
Expanding | 42 % | 49 % | 41 % |
Maintaining | 50 % | 48 % | 51 % |
Hiring Freeze/Layoffs | 8 % | 2 % | 7 % |
Top Factors Influencing Hiring Plans
Among managers who plan to increase hiring, nearly half (47 per cent) cited company growth as the primary factor influencing their hiring decisions for the first half of 2025. Employee turnover rates (44 per cent), and the emergence of new projects (41 per cent) were also identified as key factors driving hiring.
"2024 has seen many hiring challenges, from skills gaps and talent shortages to new in-office policies and wider economic conditions. Both hiring managers and job seekers have had to navigate a complex market," said Koula Vasilopoulos, Senior Managing Director, Robert Half, Canada. "While hiring plans remain high as we enter 2025, businesses must ensure they have the right hiring strategies in place to keep key initiatives running smoothly, complete projects on time, achieve goals, and attract top talent for the future. In addition, they need to mitigate burnout and decreased productivity from overstretched teams through strong retention plans."
The Ramifications of Not Filling Open Roles
Without a streamlined and efficient hiring plan, organizations risk delaying critical initiatives and putting strain on existing employees. Hiring managers revealed the greatest impact of not filling roles in a timely manner:
- Decreased productivity (40%)
- Stretched bandwidth and burnout of existing staff (39%)
- Delayed project timelines (34%)
- Inability to support critical business initiatives (31%)
Strategies to Land Top Talent
To secure in-demand candidates and help keep projects on track, hiring managers say they will implement the following strategies:
- Partnering with staffing firms to identify qualified candidates (39%)
- Encouraging current employee referrals through referral bonuses (35%)
- Offering paid internships for current students or recent graduates (34%)
- Developing or enhancing mentorship programs (34%)
- Outlining clear career paths within departments to attract internal candidates (33%)
About the Research
The online survey was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm in December 2024. It includes responses from more than 1,050 managers with hiring responsibilities in finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and human resources at companies with 20 or more employees in Canada.
About Robert Half
Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions firm that connects opportunities at great companies with highly skilled job seekers. Offering contract and permanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support, Robert Half has more than 300 locations worldwide. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti®, a global consulting firm that provides internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named to the Fortune® Most Admired Companies™. Explore our comprehensive solutions, research and insights at RobertHalf.ca.
SOURCE Robert Half Canada Inc.
