Employer Survey 2017

Transcription

1 HORTON VENTURES INC. Employer Survey 2017

2 Table of Contents HORTON VENTURES INC. EMPLOYER SURVEY Executive Summary Survey Purpose & Intent... 4 Survey Design & Implementation... 4 Method... 4 Measure... 4 Time Lines... 5 Outcomes & Interpretations... 5 Questions & Answers Survey Results... 5 Years in Business... 5 Workforce by Employment Type... 6 Workforce by Age... 7 Workforce by Gender... 7 Persons with Disabilities in the Local Workforce... 9 Staffing Levels over the Next 12 Months... 9 Plans to Increase Staffing Levels Plans to Decrease Staffing Levels Placement & Pre-Employment Services Qualitative Questions - Comments & Notes HVI Solutions & Action Planning Employer Contact & Follow Up Next Steps Conclusion HVI Contact Information Appendix 2017 Survey

3 HORTON VENTURES INC. EMPLOYER SURVEY 2017 Executive Summary Horton Ventures Inc. has been providing Employment Services to the Cariboo Region for over 20 years and successfully delivering the Employment Program of British Columbia for Catchment 61, Williams Lake and Catchment 58, Ashcroft since April Horton Ventures Inc. (HVI) Employment Program of British Columbia (EPBC) services include resources for job seekers and employers, financial supports for program participants, apprenticeship coordination, self-employment and skills training programs. HVI regularly engages employers to keep current with labour market trends and has been surveying and gathering relevant feedback since 1999 to support client sustainable employment opportunities and outcomes. In early 2017, HVI conducted a new Employer Survey gathering information on worker demographics, skills gaps and training needs. This engagement strategy attracted responses from 128 local businesses - 28 from Ashcroft, 50 from 100 Mile House, and 50 from Williams Lake. Key survey questions included workforce demographics, plans for labour force expansions and seasonal decreases, interest in EPBC programs and HVI pre-employment supports. Open ended questions were asked to determine employer skills preferences and recruitment challenges. 1,142 employees were identified. 64% positions are full-time, 29% are part-time, and 7% are seasonal with women making up 54% of the workforce surveyed. This is likely due to the type of business surveyed and the sectors represented. The Sales and Service sector made up the largest employer group for all three locations surveyed. Employment within this group includes Food & Beverage, Travel and Accommodation, Tourism, and Retail Sales jobs. The Trades and Transport sector were the second largest group surveyed with employment positions mainly related to automotive repairs. Three First Nation bands were included in this survey. All age groups were well represented with the greatest overall number for the three locations surveyed being in the range. It was noted that there are fewer youth in Ashcroft (27%) in the labour market than those in the range (40%) who are nearing retirement. Respondents in 100 Mile House and Williams Lake both report more youth employed than those who are nearing retirement age. Only three employers indicated that they have an employee with a disability currently on staff. This low number over the locations surveyed may or may not be representative of the 2

4 actual labour force makeup and is a starting point for future conversations with job seekers and business owners about EPBC supports and options. 64% of the employers surveyed indicated that they plan to hire new staff over the next 12 months with 108 positions expected to be filled. Fewer than 9% of the respondents indicated expected staffing decreases. The majority will be openings for hospitality, tourism, general labour and service staff, low-skilled and are intended to be short term, summer students, seasonal or part time and short term. Most businesses did not respond to the question asking about expected decreases in the next 12 months. Less than 9% indicated workforce reductions mainly due to seasonal employment. Ashcroft responded in higher numbers relative to the smaller survey sampling to this question. 66 businesses expressed an interest in HVI job posting services and referrals by Case Managers. 20 were interested in Short Term Occupational Certification (STOC), and 7 were interested in Apprenticeship information. 83% of the surveyed respondents indicated interest in learning more about EPBC Placement Services. The Wage Subsidy Program at 83% scored the highest interest level with equal interest across all three service locations. Unpaid Work Experience, followed by Customized Employment, then Job Coaching was the order in which interest in these other placement services was indicated. Most employers expressed that there are some challenges in finding suitable employees. Some consider the challenges to be related to geographic location, few applicants and wages as factors impacting business recruitments. Employee skills, training and experience do present challenges to some respondents. Work ethic, motivation, reliability and willingness to remain with the employer long term were job maintenance factors listed by employers. Some industries find it more difficult to find local applicants with industry specific training and will invest to train the right person. Skills development includes on the job training, sponsoring attendance at seminars and conferences, online programs, and industry recognized certifications. 38% of surveyed employers are willing to pay for some training, particularly when the job requires special skills and qualifications. 52% replied that they look for strong Essential Skills in a new employee. Good communication and customer service skills are very important in most of the businesses. 24% indicated other Soft Skills or Life Skills were important. Hard Skills were important to 24% of the respondents. The Essential Skills and other Soft Skills combined make up a resounding 76% of the skills employers most look for in a new employee as opposed to technical skill requirements. 3

5 2017 Survey Purpose & Intent Key survey questions include workforce demographics, plans for labour force expansions and seasonal decreases, and gauge interest in EPBC programs and HVI pre-employment supports. Open ended questions were asked to determine employer skills preferences and recruitment challenges. The objective was to collect enough survey responses to provide a snapshot of the labour market representative of small business trends in each community for this time period (March) aiming for 10% of the registered businesses overall. Survey responses will be used to inform HVI reports, planning, strategies, proposals and compared to future survey results to monitor changes in the local labour market. Results will also be used to frame HVI 2017/18 CEP strategic planning and marketing approaches. See the Appendix to review the survey. Survey Design & Implementation The HVI Employer Survey 2017 focused on a total of 6 main question areas: 1. Years in Business 2. Number of Employees 3. Current Workforce Demographics 4. Hiring in the next 12 months 5. Plans to decrease staff over the next 12 months 6. Interest in Pre-Employment and Placement Information Services Opportunities were included at the end of the survey for additional comments on recruitment challenges, staff training, and desired skills in a new employee. Method HVI Job Developers contacted employers by phone and in person to collect basic business contact information and survey responses. Measure The aim was to collect 25 responses in Ashcroft and 30 each in Williams Lake & 100 Mile House, representative of the dominant businesses sectors in our region. Primary industries in Ashcroft are agriculture and horticulture including farming and ranching, mining, manufacturing, transportation and tourism. 4

6 Primary Industries in 100 Mile House are forestry, agriculture, transportation and tourism. Primary Industries in Williams Lake are forestry, mining, tourism and agriculture. Current regional data for each community is estimated at: Ashcroft residents, 108 registered businesses 2 serving a market area of Mile House residents, 346 registered businesses 5 serving a market area of Williams Lake residents, 962 registered businesses 8 serving a market area of Time Lines The Survey concept and design was finalized February Data collection throughout the month of March. All responses were submitted for data entry by March 31, Data analysis and draft report writing in April. Outcomes & Interpretations In general, March is a transition period between winter and summer labour market activities, with increased opportunities in hospitality, tourism, construction, recreation and horticulture. These survey results reflect this transition period with over 60% of respondents projecting labour force expansions in the coming months as expected. This growth is typically followed by a staffing decrease through the fall season as the need for additional workers winds down and service levels are reduced. The Sales and Service sector made up the largest employer group responding in all three locations. Industries within this group include Food & Beverage, Travel & Accommodation, Tourism, and Retail Sales. Questions & Answers Survey Results Years in Business Survey respondents indicated that their businesses have been in operation ranging from 6 months to 159 years, with an average of 19 years in Williams Lake & 100 Mile House and an 1 Census Profile, Ashcroft, BC. www12.statcan.gc.ca 2 Village of Ashcroft BC Stats, 2016 Sub-Provincial Population Estimates, July www2.gov.bc.ca 5 District of 100 Mile House Census Profile, Williams Lake BC. www12.statcan.gc.ca 8 City of Williams Lake

7 average of 38 years in Ashcroft. However, this includes responses from three First Nations Bands with a historical presence in the area, and a lodge that began operating during the gold rush. Workforce by Employment Type Of the 1142 employees identified through the survey, 64% positions are full-time, 29% are part-time, and 7% are seasonal. Businesses focused on tourism, hospitality and construction do see annual staffing changes due to season more frequently than businesses focused on year-round operations in all communities surveyed. Most seasonal employees are recruited in April and May and work through to September or October. Seasonal Part Time Full Time Ashcroft 28 Surveys Williams Lake 100 Mile House Total 128 Surveys Seasonal Part Time Full Time Total Positions Count % Count % Count % Count % Ashcroft 56 19% 73 24% % % Williams Lake 17 4% % % % 100 Mile House 4 1% % % % Total Surveys 77 7% % % % 6

8 Workforce by Age Survey responses indicate that most workers are between 31 and 49. More youth than workers over 65 are employed overall, and the demographic are well represented Ashcroft 28 Surveys Williams Lake 100 Mile House Total 128 Surveys yrs old yrs old yrs old over 65 yrs old In Ashcroft, there are fewer youth in the area as compared to the other communities surveyed. The village promotes to retirees so these results are not indicative of employer preferences, but of local workforce demographics. Both 100 Mile House and Williams Lake have a greater number of youth in the workforce verses those who are approaching retirement which may be a positive indicator when addressing expected skills shortages due to an aging work force yrs old yrs old yrs old over 65 yrs old Ashcroft 27% 30% 40% 3% Williams Lake 31% 42% 26% 1% 100 Mile House 34% 42% 23% 1% Total Surveys 31% 40% 28% 1% Workforce by Gender The survey results show more women working than men in all three communities. Most surveys were completed with small businesses focused on administration, retail, tourism and hospitality. Not significantly represented in the survey outcomes are some industries traditionally dominated by men - forestry, transportation, manufacturing, residential construction. 7

9 Men Women Ashcroft 28 Surveys Williams Lake 100 Mile House Total 128 Surveys In comparison to the rest of Canada, the 2011 Nation Household Survey shows the Service and Sales occupations, the largest sector, being dominated by women in the workforce - which is likewise reflected in our local survey results. Distribution of the employed population by major occupations according to the May 2011 National Household Survey: 8

10 Persons with Disabilities in the Local Workforce PWD Employed Ashcroft 28 Surveys Williams Lake 100 Mile House Total 128 Surveys The number of persons with disabilities in the local workforce as reported throughout all three communities is lower than expected. This could indicate that the employers do not know that some staff are persons with disabilities, that the sample collected for this survey is non-representative of the number of persons with disabilities employed in the region, or that persons with disabilities may have more barriers to employment than previously understood. This result gives the HVI Employer Service Team a good place to start future conversations with job seekers and business owners about employing persons with disabilities, employer supports, staff supports and programs aimed at increasing Specialized Population participation and opportunities in the workplace. Staffing Levels over the Next 12 Months As previously noted, typically March is a transition period between seasonal labour market activities. Survey outcomes reflect over 60% of respondents projecting labour force expansions in the coming months as expected. This growth is generally followed by a fall/winter seasonal staffing decrease. 9

11 Plans to Increase Staffing Levels 82 of the 128 employers surveyed plan to hire staff over the next 12 months with 108 positions expected to be filled. More specifically: 21 of the 28 Ashcroft respondents plan to hire up to 30 additional staff in a range of seasonal positions including: general labour, cashier, supervisor, cooks and servers, administrative assistants, drivers, ranch hand, summer students, trades people, adventure tourism guides, and tire technicians 33 of the 50 Williams Lake businesses surveyed will be looking for approximately 50 staff to fill jobs in the following categories: cooks, wait staff, sales staff, cashiers, tax preparation, customer service, sales associates, general labourers, retail assistants, housekeeping, delivery drivers, bike mechanic, medical office clerk, program coordinator, mechanic, meat cutter, tire technicians, and ranch hands Out of 50 participating employers in 100 Mile, 28 answered that about 60 positions will need to be filled in jobs like: bakers, baristas, cooks, cahiers, servers, retail clerks, sales assistants, general labour/clean up, carpenters, tire technicians, hairdressers, front counter staff, receptionists, delivery drivers, locksmith, yard worker, greenhouse helper, and barber Overall, 4 opportunities for Medical Office Assistants, Chief Administrative Officer and a few skilled trades positions are longer term positions looking to be filled with higher skill levels or certification requirements. Plans to Decrease Staffing Levels Survey respondents are expecting to layoff a total of 11 positions in the next 12 months, five in Ashcroft, four in Williams Lake and two in 100 Mile House. Most of the businesses intending to hire did not answer that they were also intending to decrease staffing at the end of the operational season and nine of the projected 11 position decreases reflect seasonal layoffs, two others indicated employee plans to leave, one employer plans to fill the vacant position. Placement & Pre-Employment Services To provide a snapshot of the current workforce in our operational areas and to gain insights into the unique staffing challenges faced by local employers we inquired about Employer interest in EPBC programing and in pre-employment services that HVI can offer, Employers were asked to give feedback on their interest level in learning more about possible hiring solutions and pre-employment supports. 10

12 Employer Interest in EPBC Placement Services Ashcroft 28 Surveys Williams Lake 100 Mile House 50 Surveys Total 128 Surveys Customized Employment Job Coaching Unpaid Work Experience Wage Subsidy Interest in HVI Pre-Employment Services Apprenticeship Information STOC 66 Free Job Postings & CM Referrals Ashcroft 28 Surveys Williams Lake 100 Mile House 50 Surveys Total 128 Surveys In general, respondents were most interested in job posting services and wage subsidy. HVI has been a trusted source of free job postings since it started operating employment services centres in the area, and wage subsidy is a well established program which receives recognition from small businesses in the region as a workable solution to addressing skills gaps and training needs for new employees. Services including Customized Employment, Job Coaching and unpaid work experience are less familiar and lack some of the trust and clear benefit to the employers. More promotional work needs to be done to increase familiarity of these options to encourage use and facilitate under represented population participation in the workforce. Currently, HVI job developers offer HVI information packages containing wage subsidy letters, program and service guides. Additional WorkBC print resources outlining specific program benefits to employers would be an asset to supplement online information currently found at WorkBC.ca. 11

13 Qualitative Questions - Comments & Notes In ending the survey, employers were asked for additional comments to the following questions What are biggest challenges finding new employees? Which skills do you look for in a new employee? Do you pay for additional staff training & development? 112 out of the 128 of surveys collected (88%) provided additional comments. The main points to each question have been summarized. A) What are your biggest challenges in finding new employees? Most employers expressed that there are some challenges in finding suitable employees when advertising positions small town with small applicant pools Some consider the challenges to be related to geographic location, low number of applicants and wages as some of the factors impacting business recruitments Employee skills, training, qualifications and prior experience do present challenges to some respondents More responses indicated willingness to work, motivation, reliability, flexibility and willingness to remain with the employer long term were job maintenance factors Low job readiness skills have been an issue with some employers. Poor work ethic, mental health or addiction issues were indicated. Low essential skills sets related to computer use, interpersonal-communications, and numeracy were also noted B) Which skills do you look for in a new employee? 111 out of 128 (87%) of the survey participants provided feedback on this question. Of those who provided feedback: 52% responded that they look for good interpersonal communication skills related to customer service. Team work, problem solving, numeracy, and computer skills were also noted 23% are looking for soft skills and/or personality traits in employees such as positive attitude, punctuality, reliability and dependability, good work ethic, honesty, as well as a caring personality 24% surveyed are looking for prior experience, training, certification and qualifications in the occupational field 12

14 It is interesting to note that the Essential Skills are the employability skills most sought after by respondents in this survey. This may be an area employers could work with staff to support professional development and improve job readiness skills which in turn may help lessen some of the recruitment and retention challenges noted in question B above. WorkBC HVI may consider a greater emphasis for the delivery of the Essential Skills Workshops with an initial focus on Effective Communications for the Workplace and Team Building to help develop the employability skills and increase long term employer attachments. C) Do you pay for additional staff training & development? 49 employers (38%) surveyed indicated that they pay for staff training/upgrading particularly when the job requires special skills and qualifications 12 employers surveyed (9%) indicated that all skills training took place in house and/or on-the-job WHMIS, World Host, Forklift, First Aid, and Lotto Certification are short term and occupational certificate training supported by some employers Most employers would prefer new employees to already have specific skills and training pertinent to the industry and position HVI Solutions & Action Planning Based on the 2017 survey outcomes, HVI future planning includes short and long term goals: Short term Plan targeted marketing of EPBC programs and services and CEP approaches for 2017/18 based on survey findings 13

15 Complete a survey with all new employer contacts, review findings quarterly and report in QMR Respond to employer needs as themes emerge, promote CEP funded programs and uncover perceived barriers Respond to significant labour force adjustment plans by providing program supports for both employees and employers such as contact names and numbers, rack cards, program guides, job posting listings and seek to coordinate communications with Service Canada and other community partners as necessary to mitigate gaps in employment and long term unemployment. Long term Implement annual surveys by industry or sector, tailor questions based on past year surveys and findings Monitor labour market by engaging employer communications and keeping informed though researching provincially produced and sector produced LMI Analyze HVI web page view trends and requests for more information Offer special topic employer forums regarding specialized population groups to measure attitudes and promote opportunities Test alternate survey approaches ( , Survey Monkey, Facebook) to measure response rate for future engagement approaches and data collection methods Employer Contact & Follow Up HVI will contact businesses who participated in the 2017 Employer Survey to promote EPBC program services based on indicated interests and preferences to target marketing and measure outcomes and successes. Next Steps May 2017 Initial report completed and shared with internal stakeholders June 2017 Report findings used to inform HVI CEP 2017/18 and HVI marketing plans July 2017 Actions with outcomes reported in 1 st quarter 2017/18 Quarterly Marketing Report October 2017 Follow up with employers to gauge workforce changes and engagement with EPBC programs and services 14

16 Conclusion The HVI Employer Survey 2017 captured close to 10% of municipally registered businesses in the target communities. While this is a relatively small sample, the target was manageable within the established time frames and met data collection objectives, securing responses which are meaningful, allow for follow up, and provide the basis for more specific marketing and communication approaches in the future. HVI Contact Information For more information please contact: Horton Ventures Inc. P.O. Box 1297, 808 Alpine Ave., 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0 Anny Horton HVI CEO a.horton@hortonventures.com Pamela Webb HVI Executive Director p.webb@hortonventures.com Ulli Vogler HVI Employer Service Manager u_vogler@hortonventures.com

17 Appendix 2017 Survey 2017 HVI Employer Survey Date: Get the following information /attach business card Company & Contact Person: Address (Physical & Mailing): Phone, , Website, Fax: NOC: Years in Business Number of employees FT PT Seasonal Total staff # # Women Men PWD # Over 65 Plans to hire in the next 12 months? YES-1 No-2 If YES # Job titles/positions Plans to decrease staffing in the next 12 months? YES-1 No-2 If Yes, why? What can we tell you about: Wage Subsidy Unpaid Work Experience Job Coaching Customized Employment Free job postings Apprentice Info Short Term Certificate Training Other: Additional Questions/ Comments/Notes: What are your biggest challenges in finding new employees? Do you pay for staff training & development? Which skills do you look for in a new employee? 16