Ontario Employment Outlook: January 2021 Report

Employment in Ontario got off to a rough start in 2021. After a slight dip in December, January saw a sharp employment decline. Of the 12.3 million people aged 15 and up in the province, 7.1 million were employed. The second provincial-wide COVID-19 lockdown was likely a significant factor in unemployment rising.

 

Here is a quick market summary report of Ontario’s employment outlook for January 2021, compiled by our employment experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government January 2021 Labour Market Report.

 

 

Employment Outlook

Employment in Ontario dropped significantly in January for the first time since May when the pandemic was at its peak. Employment declined by 2.1%, after being mostly unchanged in December. Overall, employment in January in the province was 5.4% lower than its February 2020 pre-COVID-10 levels.

 

Not only did employment growth slow, but unemployment also rose. Unemployment in Ontario was at 10.2% in January, rising from 9.5% in December. This was the largest percentage point increase since May. This was a Canada-wide trend, with Canada’s overall unemployment rate increased to 9.4% in January from 8.8% in December.

 

Employment by Age

Youth (15-24) bore the brunt of job losses in January. Employment for that age demographic fell by 9.6%, with 90,100 fewer jobs compared to December. Unemployment for youths rose to 21.8% from 20.9% the previous month.

 

Adult employment (25-54) also took a hit, with 51,700 fewer jobs in January. Unemployment for this demographic rose to 8.3% from 7.6% in December. Senior employment (55+) also faced job losses, with employment declining by 11,700 (0.7%) jobs in January. Unemployment for seniors rose to 8.3% from 7.2% in December.

 

Employment by Sector

Government restrictions on what types of businesses are deemed essential during the lockdown continued to play a role in which industries saw employment gains and losses. In January, the industry sectors with the most employment growth were Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Leasing (+5.8%), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (+4.8%), Manufacturing (+1.6%), and Public Administration (+0.7%).

 

Other sectors saw significant employment loss and were far away from pre-COVID-19 levels. The industries with the greatest employment loss were Accommodation and Food Services (-35.4%), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-17%), Agriculture (-11.9%), and Information, Culture, and Recreation (-11.3%).

 

Employment by Region

Employment fell in eight of the sixteen Ontario CMAs between December 2020 and January 2021. Barrie saw the largest employment decrease (-5.4%) followed by St. Catharines-Niagara (-5.1%), Oshawa (-2.6%), Brantford (-1.8%), Guelph (-1.6%), Greater Sudbury (-1.5%), Thunder Bay (-1.3%), and Toronto (-1.1%).

 

Other regions in Ontario were less impacted, though, and saw employment increase. The Ottawa-Gatineau region led employment growth (+1.8%) followed by Hamilton (+1.7%), London (+1.1%), Peterborough (+1.1%), Belleville (+0.6%), Kingston (+0.5%), Windsor (+0.5%), and Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (+0.1%).

 

Are you looking for more employment insight or staffing solutions? Contact Nova Staffing today! We’re one of the best employment agencies in the GTA and have a team of HR experts ready to help you with all of your staffing needs.

 

Why Appreciating Employees is Important

It’s National Employee Appreciation Day! Having a day recognizing and celebrating the hard work employees put in is essential, but employee recognition shouldn’t be limited to one day. It’s an important part of company culture all year long and significantly impacts company performance. Here are a few key reasons why employee appreciation is vital to the workplace from our HR experts at Nova Staffing!

 

Increases Engagement and Productivity

A happy employee is a good employee. When workers feel appreciated, that’s going to reflect in their work. By recognizing the work your employees put in, they’re more likely to be productive and engaged. Don’t expect employees to go the extra mile or work harder if you don’t take the time to acknowledge it. It doesn’t take much for employers to recognize and praise good work, so be sure to do it all year round! It’s a simple way to boost efficiency and satisfaction.

 

Retains Talent

As a hiring agency, we know that finding talent is the easy part. It’s retaining it long-term that requires more work! Many companies make the mistake of thinking that a good paycheck is enough to keep talented employees around. Quality employees want to feel that their work is appreciated. Giving a simple thank you or praising good work costs employers nothing, but it can go a long way in retaining talented workers. It can also save your company money! Bringing in new hires costs time and money, so it’s always better to try to keep good workers around.

 

Boosts Company Loyalty and Morale

Did you know company culture and morale play a huge role in productivity? People want to work in environments that make them happy and value them. Celebrating employee accomplishments is a great way to improve company morale and help boost loyalty to the company. The happier a person is in your company, and the more respected they feel, the more likely they are to stick around! Word will also get around, attracting quality recruits and making hiring talent easier.

 

Commit to Year-Round Recognition

Special days like National Employee Appreciation Day are important but don’t fall into the trap of limiting celebrating employee contributions to one day. Saying a few positive words or a simple thank you throughout the year can go a long way.

 

At Nova Staffing, we have more than 20 years of experience placing the right people with the right company. Our focus has always been to find the right fit for our client’s companies and understanding that appreciating quality employees can make all the difference. Feel free to contact us for all of your staffing needs!

 

6 Qualities Driver Recruitment Agencies Look for in Candidates

Truck drivers are in high demand in Canada right now. From long-haul truckers to last-mile delivery drivers, qualified drivers are some of the most sought-after people for companies right now. But what exactly do companies look for when hiring new drivers? As one of Toronto’s top driver recruitment agencies, here are a few qualities our hiring experts look for.

 

Reliable

Reliability is one of the top qualities all drivers should have. The majority of goods in Canada are moved by truck, and with people relying on deliveries more than ever due to COVID-19, it’s incredibly important to hire people you can depend on. Companies need to be able to count on drivers to arrive when scheduled, follow their routes, and make their deliveries in a timely and efficient manner.

 

Good Driving Record

It goes without saying that drivers need to have a clean driving record. This is one of the first things any driver recruitment agency will look at. Companies want to ensure they’re hiring safe and responsible drivers. In addition to a clean record, drivers should have all of their updated licenses and will probably have to pass a drug test.

 

Communication

Communication is critical in the transportation industry. No matter what type of driver you are, you’ll have to be able to effectively talk with shippers, carriers, dispatchers, clients, and more. Companies want to know that drivers can effectively communicate if an issue arises. Good communication also makes it easier for managers and co-workers to work together.

 

Alert

There is a reason commercial drivers have to undergo extra training and certification compared to normal drivers. Commercial vehicles like trucks are typically much heavier and larger than normal vehicles and can cause much more damage. Drivers must always be alert and responsive to driving conditions on the road. People that easily get distracted when driving don’t make for good hires.

 

Truck Mechanics

Drivers don’t have to be full-blown mechanics, but all drivers should know the basics of truck operations and maintenance. This means being able to perform basic emergency repairs such as changing a tire. Driver recruitment agencies also look for candidates that know how to read all the gauges, dials, and other indicators of a functioning vehicle.

 

Experience

Experience is one of the top things any driver recruitment agency will look at. While having a ton of experience isn’t necessary to land the job, it certainly does help. Experienced commercial drivers know the business and are usually better at handling any issues that arise and the stress of the job.

 

Looking to hire qualified drivers? Contact Nova Staffing today! We’re one of the top driver employment agencies in the GTA and have a team of staffing experts ready to help.

 

How Nova Staffing is Protecting Workers During COVID-19

The on-going COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact daily life in Ontario. While many businesses were able to transition to remote working, there are still a number of essential businesses that require employees to be there in person. As one of the best staffing agencies in the GTA, Nova Staffing prides itself on having all the highest health and safety measures for all employees. Here are the steps we’re taking to keep our employees and the workers we send out to clients safe.

 

Pre-Screening Questionnaire

Before sending out workers to our clients, we make sure to pre-screen them and ask them a list of questions provided by the Ministry of Health. This includes asking them if they’ve traveled recently, whether they have any symptoms, or if they’ve been exposed to anyone that has tested positive, been exposed, or showing symptoms. This ensures that we’re not sending out anyone who may be a COVID-19 risk.

 

Daily Forms

In order to protect the public and essential workplaces, Nova Staffing requires all of our workers to fill out and sign a form each day before starting work. These forms ask employees to sign stating they will adhere to all safety practices, including COVID-19 prevention efforts at client sites.

 

These forms include a daily screening sheet, which employees must sign off on before each shift stating whether or not they’ve been experiencing symptoms or been in close contact with someone who has tested positive. This allows us and health officials to trace individuals who may be exposed or infected.

 

Health Monitors

At Nova Staffing offices and large clients, health monitors are in place to take staff temperatures daily before each shift. This helps screen employees every day before they enter the workplace in addition to the forms. All of our clients, and our own offices, have also heightened cleaning and set up sanitization stations in order to reduce the spread of the virus.

 

Our Commitment to Health and Safety

At Nova Staffing, keeping our employees, clients, and the public safe and healthy is our top priority. We have exceeded legislated COVID-19 requirements set forth by the Ministry of Health and will continue to do so while the pandemic is on-going.

 

We’re confident in sending our employees out to client sites, knowing that the employers we partner with are taking health and safety as seriously as we do. Nova Staffing continuously monitors COVID-19 information and makes changes as needed. We strongly encourage our employees to follow all public health recommendations when they are in the community to protect their health and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

 

If you are interested in learning more about how we can help ensure you have the right people and safety measures in place for your company, please reach out to us for more information: info@novastaffing.com

 

5 Ways to Support Employees’ Mental Health

It’s safe to say the past year has been a struggle for just about everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic hit businesses and employees hard, both professionally and personally. It’s no surprise then that a recent study found that 42% of global employees have experienced a decline in mental health since the pandemic began, not to mention seasonal winter blues. So, what can employers and managers do to check-in and support their teams during these trying times? Here are a few suggestions from our HR experts at Nova Staffing.

 

Be Vulnerable

One silver lining to the pandemic is that everyone has been hit, and it has normalized mental health challenges. Almost everyone has experienced some level of discomfort. Business owners and managers should start the mental health conversation and decrease the stigma by opening up about their own struggles. You don’t have to tell more than you’re comfortable, but letting employees know that those higher up have been struggling as well will let them feel more comfortable coming to you with their challenges.

 

Model Healthy Habits

A lot of companies say they support mental health, but very few actually model it. It’s one thing to tell employees to prioritize self-care and set boundaries, and it’s another for businesses to do it themselves. Share that you’re taking a staycation or a mid-afternoon walk. This will help employees feel more comfortable taking much-needed breaks themselves.

 

Check-In Regularly

Intentionally checking in with each of your employees is more important than ever. Now that many people are working from home, it can be harder to notice if someone is struggling. Make it a point to ask your employees if they’re doing OK. During these times, communicate more than you think you need to.

 

Be Flexible

This pandemic has shown that businesses that are flexible are the ones to survive. Being adaptable and flexible is key to managing stressful situations that may pop up, like a global pandemic! Employers should be open to the fact that employees are facing unprecedented challenges. Virtual learning or closed schools mean many working parents don’t have childcare. Health concerns may limit certain employees from coming in. Not all employees may have a quiet, dedicated workspace to operate from. Being flexible and accommodating will help alleviate stress for your employees and allow you to come together to find solutions.

 

Modify Procedures and Policies

Now is the time to update practices and policies to be more flexible and reflect the realities of the workplace today. Look at things such as work hours, communication practices, sick leave policies, and performance reviews. The ‘normal’ work environment doesn’t exist right now, so traditional procedures no longer fit.

 

Need help finding qualified candidates or other staffing solutions? Contact Nova Staffing today! With over 200 years of industry experience, our team of HR experts is ready to help. 

 

Ontario Employment Outlook: December 2020 Report

For the first time since May, employment in Ontario decreased. Of the 12.4 million people in the province, 7.3 million were employed in December 2020. The second provincial lockdown due to COVID-19 was likely a significant factor in decreased employment and increased unemployment rates. 

 

Here is a quick market summary report of Ontario’s employment outlook for December 2020, compiled by our HR experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government December 2020 Labour market report.  

 

 

Employment Outlook

Employment in Ontario took a hit in December, dropping for the first time since May when the pandemic was at the peak. This was likely due to the second provincial wide lockdown that officially started on December 26th. Employment decreased by 11,900 jobs in December, down 0.2% from November.

 

Unemployment saw an increase in December after decreasing the previous month. In December, there were 762,500 unemployed people in Ontario, up 3.9% from the previous month. 

 

Employment by Age

Youth Employment (15–24) continued to be the most impacted by the pandemic in December, with unemployment sitting at 20.9%. This was up slightly from 20.2% in November. Employment did increase in this demographic, though, with 15,400 new jobs. 

 

Adult Employment (25-54) was hit hard in December, losing 35,300 jobs, though unemployment stayed at 7.6%. Senior Employment (55+) increased by 8,000 jobs. Unemployment unfortunately also increased to 7.2% from 6.5% the previous month.  

 

Employment by Sector

Certain sectors continued to be hit harder than others. The second lockdown meant only certain businesses deemed essential were allowed to operate fully. This resulted in some seeing employment gains while others continued to drop below pre-COVID levels. 

 

The sectors with the biggest employment growth in December were Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil (+7.1%), Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing (+4.2%), Manufacturing (+3.9%), and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (+3.1%). 

 

The sectors that struggled to regain their pre-COVID-19 employment levels in December were, Accommodation and Food Services (-23.9%), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-18%), Transportation and Warehousing (-13.2%), and Other Services (except Public Admin.) (-8.1%).

 

Employment by Region

Due to the second lockdown, employment levels in many of Ontario’s CMA’s fell between November and December. Some of Ontario’s biggest cities, such as St. Catharine’s-Niagara and Toronto, saw employment levels drop for the first time in months. The regions that saw employment increase in December were: Hamilton (2.2%), Kingston (1.6%), London (1.4%), Peterborough (1%), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (1%), and Thunder Bay (0.2%).

 

If you’re looking for staffing solutions, contact Nova Staffing today! We’re one of the best employment agencies in the GTA and have a team of HR experts ready to help you with all of your employment needs. 

How Ontario’s Second Lockdown Will Impact Employment

Ontario has recently once again moved into lockdown to help stop the spread of COVID-19. While Toronto has seen some level of restrictions since the virus first hit the city, this will be a major blow for other parts of the province that have seen more freedom. One of the big questions employment agencies have been getting is how the second lockdown will impact employment and hiring. Here are a few things companies should get ready for.

 

More Remote Working

Get ready to see remote working reach new levels. One of the biggest things coming with the latest lockdown is that all non-essential employees who do not need to be in the workspace physically will now be required to work from home. That means employers who have adopted a hybrid work-from-home model or asked employees to return to offices will now have to embrace remote working again.

 

Back to Virtual Schooling

Working parents that chose to send their kids back to physical school will now have to get ready for virtual schooling once again. Employers should support parents during this time and try to understand that working parents now have to be employees, parents, and teachers. It’s a lot for anyone! Try to be more flexible with work hours and understanding if an issue arises.

 

Safety Plans

While remote working will increase once again with the lockdown, not all businesses will be impacted. There are still a number of industries, such as transportation, essential workers, and more, that will still have to go in. Ontario is requiring all businesses that are still open and operating to prepare a COVID-19 safety plan. Companies that are remote working should also take this time to come up with a safety plan for when employees do return again. Now is also a good time to evaluate sick day policies in light of the virus.

 

Final Thoughts

It’s still too early to know how the second lockdown will impact employment growth in the province. As with the first round of restrictions, certain industries will be hit harder than others. Employers should do everything they can to support employees during this time in order to boost efficiency and morale.

 

If you need help fulfilling job positions with quality candidates, contact us today! Nova Staffing is one of Toronto’s best employment agencies and has a team of HR experts ready to help you with all of your staffing needs.

 

Ontario Employment Outlook: November 2020 Report

Employment across Ontario continued to improve in November, however, another round of lockdowns did see unemployment rise in certain sectors and demographics. Of the 12.4 million people in Ontario aged 15 and older, 7.3 million were employed in November. Although the year is now over, the pandemic continues to impact employment across the province.

 

Here is a quick market summary report of Ontario’s employment outlook for November 2020, compiled by our employment experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government November 2020 Labour market report.

 

 

Employment Outlook

Employment in Ontario increased slightly in November from October, adding 30,600 new jobs. This is a 0.4% increase from last month, though overall, the employment rate did not change.

 

While unemployment increased in October, November saw unemployment decrease again. There were 786,000 unemployed residents in Ontario (9.1%), a 0.5% decrease from October’s 9.6% unemployment rate.

 

Employment by Age

Youth employment (15-24) was hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and has been the slowest to recover. This age demographic did see some improvement in November, adding 12,100 new jobs that month. Unemployment for this demographic is still at 20.2%, though, the highest amongst all ages.

 

Adult employment didn’t see much change from October, only adding 1,700 new jobs in November. Unemployment also slightly increased for adults, up to 7.6% from 7.5% in October. Senior employment saw a decrease in October but improved in November, adding 22,800 new jobs. Unemployment for seniors also dropped to 6.5% from 7.3%.

 

Employment by Sector

Certain industries were hit hardest by the pandemic and closures. 57% of job losses during Feb-May were from four sectors, and these account for the majority of the jobs gained since spring.

 

Certain sectors have struggled to return to their pre-pandemic levels and have been gaining jobs the slowest. These include Accommodation and Food Services (-18.1%), Transportation and Warehousing (-14.2%), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-13.3%), and Agriculture (-8.5%).

 

Meanwhile, other industries added jobs in November, like Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil (+12.8%), Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing (+3.5%), Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (+2.7%), and Manufacturing (+1.7%).

 

Employment by Region

Employment increases and decreases have been varying based on the region in Ontario. COVID-19 has impacted regions of the province differently and lockdown restrictions have varied as well. In November, Hamilton led employment growth seeing a 2.2% increase. It was followed by Toronto (+1.5%), Kingston (+1.4%), Thunder Bay (+1.2%), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (+1.1%), and Oshawa (+0.6%).

 

If you’re looking for help fulfilling job positions or looking for hiring solutions, contact Nova Staffing today! We’re one of the best employment agencies in Toronto and have a team of HR experts ready to help you with all of your staffing needs.

 

5 Employment Lessons Learned During 2020

This year has been unlike any previous one. COVID-19 rocked the world, resulting in massive changes in how people lived and businesses operated. 2020 is finally coming to a close, but it’s important not to forget the lessons learned this year. Here are five employment lessons our hiring experts learned this year that businesses should keep in mind as we enter the New Year.

 

Being Proactive is Better than Reactive

When the pandemic first struck, HR professionals and businesses had to scramble to adapt work from home policies, make in-person workspaces safe, and manage remote teams. This was a chaotic time that highlighted the need for businesses to be proactive and not simply reactive.

 

COVID-19 is not the first, nor the last, disruptive event to impact business operations. Whether it’s another global pandemic or something else, businesses should make proper preparations to make sure their company and employees are resilient. Reach out to HR experts to map out a few worst-case scenarios in case employees suddenly can’t come into offices again.

 

Work From Home Has Benefits Beyond COVID-19

If 2020 taught businesses anything, it’s that most of those meetings could have been emails after all. And this isn’t a bad thing! Many businesses have realized there are benefits of adopting a work from home model beyond the pandemic. There’s a reason why so many companies are now looking into keeping remote working or adopting a hybrid model.

 

Working from home has been proven to boost productivity and morale among employees. It also helps reduce overhead costs, such as office space and upkeep costs. Remote working also eliminates commuting, saving employees time, which allows them to do more outside of work hours so they can focus on the job once they’re on the clock.

 

Compassion and Creativity Outweigh Workplace Traditions

This year has really highlighted which businesses valued their employees’ health and safety. This is a good message to carry into the New Year. This year showed just how out of touch traditional workplace practices were, like limited sick days and strict work hours. Companies that showed compassion and embraced creative solutions were the ones to thrive.

 

Businesses should take this time to re-evaluate workplace policies such as work hours, working from home, sick days, and more. For the health and safety of other employees and the business, companies should be making sick employees come into the office, even if they are out of sick days. If your company found your current policies too stringent during COVID, it’s time to update them.

 

Top-Down Communication is Key

The beginning of COVID-19 and 2020 was a chaotic, confusing blur. News around the virus and what companies were doing to combat it in the workplace were changing almost hourly at times. Companies that didn’t have clear communication suffered, and employees were left confused and unproductive.

 

There will always be challenges in a business. One thing our HR experts learned in 2020 was the importance of clear, top-down communication. Employees shouldn’t be left wondering what is going to happen. In times of crisis, companies need to make communication a priority.

 

Use Help When Needed

This year really stretched everyone’s capabilities to the limits. Between the constant changes, the confusion and chaos, and the very real fears of the virus, many people found themselves needing more help than usual. Our employment experts at Nova Staffing found this was true for businesses as well. When times get tough, companies shouldn’t be afraid of reaching out for help.

 

One great reason to use an employment agency’s services is that it allows you to focus on running and growing your business. By partnering with a great hiring agency like Nova Staffing, you’ll have more time to do your job while we find you quality candidates to fulfill your staffing needs. Contact us to speak to one of our HR experts and see how we can help your business!