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Survey Finds 82 Per Cent of Canadian Companies Experiencing Recruiting Challenges

TORONTO, March 16, 2016 /CNW/ - The just-released Canadian Professional Employment Forecast from Robert Half shows 26 per cent of Canadian chief financial officers (CFOs) expect their company to create new jobs in the next six months. Another 56 per cent plan to hire only for open roles.

CFOs were asked, "What are your company's hiring plans for full-time, professional-level employees in the next six months?" Their responses:

*Responses do not total 100 per cent due to rounding.

View an infographic featuring the survey results.

"CFOs continue to exhibit a positive outlook going into the next six months, and this is reflected in their plans to hire and maintain skilled employees," said Greg Scileppi, president of Robert Half, International Staffing Operations. "To quickly identify and fill employee skills gaps, companies must consistently adapt to evolving business requirements, especially in areas such as technology and compliance, ensuring performance isn't affected by changing roles or talent needs."

Scileppi added that businesses need to enhance their compensation packages in order to overcome challenges associated with finding and hiring talented employees. "Executives must stay on top of current trends and offer the salary levels and perks today's in-demand professionals seek, or they risk losing their top candidates to other companies."

Recruiting Challenges

Eighty-two per cent of Canadian CFOs surveyed said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled candidates for professional-level positions today. This compares to 57 per cent in the previous six months.

Many firms are facing increased difficulty staffing financial positions, the research found that 63 per cent of Canadian CFOs said it's much more challenging or somewhat more challenging to find skilled candidates for finance and accounting positions today compared to three years ago.

Business Confidence

According to the Professional Employment Forecast, Canadian CFOs are optimistic about company growth. One hundred per cent of executives reported being somewhat or very confident in their company's prospects for growth in the next six months.

About the Professional Employment Forecast

The Professional Employment Forecast was developed by Robert Half, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm, and conducted by an independent research firm. The local results reflect a two-period rolling average based on interviews with 200 CFOs from a stratified random sample of companies in Canada with 20 or more employees. Executives were asked about their hiring and business outlook, including plans to add professional-level employees in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, administrative, legal, marketing and information technology.

About Robert Half
Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company has more than 330 staffing locations worldwide and offers online job search and management tools at roberthalf.ca. For career and management advice, follow our blog at blog.roberthalf.com. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at @RobertHalf_CAN for additional workplace advice and hiring trends.

Contact: Naz Araghian
416.865.2140
naz.araghian@roberthalf.com

SOURCE Robert Half Canada

Image with caption: "Professional Employment Forecast, Spring 2016 (CNW Group/Robert Half Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160316_C6741_PHOTO_EN_642463.jpg