Adapt and thrive

This blog is part of our Employer Resource Guide series. In today’s competitive market, it’s easy to focus solely on talent attraction and forget another equally-important part of your HR strategy: retention. “Between job hopping and the gig economy, it’s increasingly difficult to hold on to those superstar employees that you spent so much time and money attracting in the first place,” says Workopolis. When an employee decides to leave, we immediately turn our full attention to finding someone...

As businesses continue to struggle with the labour shortage, providing a Living Wage could be one action employers can take to attract and retain employees. But what is a “Living Wage”? It’s the calculated hourly amount a family needs to cover basic living expenses to live above the poverty line. The Living Wage calculation in Canada is based on a two-parent family, with two children, each parent working full-time; the calculation refers to the theoretical income that allows families to afford...

Are you struggling to hire, retain and engage your staff? On February 9 and 10, the Chilliwack Economic Resource Network is holding a 2-day virtual conference exploring solutions to the workforce issues we are currently facing around the province. The conference will be delivered online using an interactive virtual event platform, and employers from across the province are invited to attend. During the sessions, speakers working in a cross section of industries will discuss the strategies they...

As wage expectations continue to rise, businesses may struggle to recruit employees, especially in our competitive labour market. As of the second quarter of 2021, the average offered hourly wage in the Vancouver Island and Coast region was $23.95, up from $19.70 in the second quarter of 2019.

Attracting and retaining underrepresented workers is one potential strategy for addressing labour and skill shortages. In fact, studies show that increasing overall workplace diversity improves financial performance and result in better business outcomes.

By all indications, labour shortages are here to stay for the foreseeable future. With that reality in mind, retention is going to be a key factor to sustaining necessary workforce stability.

Economic Development Cowichan has launched the Cowichan Employer Resource Guide, a repository of tools and strategies to assist local businesses in addressing challenges stemming from labour shortages. In August 2021, RBC Economist Carrie Freestone reported a record high national job vacancy rate of 5%, with BC leading the provinces with a 6% job vacancy rate. As a result, businesses across the country are struggling to find and retain workers. More information on Canada’s labour shortage can...

Is your business struggling to find and retain workers? Do you see ‘Help Wanted’ signs everywhere you look on your town’s main street? In recent months, the labour shortage has been at the forefront of many news stories, webinars, and conversations in Cowichan and across Canada. In this article, we’ll explore the facts about Canada’s labour shortage, and introduce the Cowichan Employer Resource Guide to help businesses cope. About the Labour Shortage In essence, a labour shortage means there...