As the local economy begins to reopen, employers face numerous human resources and logistical challenges. Many small to medium sized Atlantic Canadian businesses are now dealing with issues of employee health and safety, productivity and financial uncertainty.

For many, these are uncharted waters of which employers have little experience navigating.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, labour shortages have never been higher, with small to medium sized businesses bearing the brunt of this shortage. Between lay-offs, employees off sick/self-isolating and last minute shift calls, staffing concerns are making a trying time even more difficult. 

Small companies, those with 20 employees or less, have been hit particularly hard; according to a recent survey by Statistics Canada's Labour Force, 30.8% of these employees are no longer working. While many companies have had to decrease the number of employees as they grapple with decreased production, sales, and operation hours, there are still many employers who need to maintain labour or even increase it as operations change and adapt to the current circumstances. Moreover, given that provincial governments across the Atlantic Provinces now have tentative reopening dates, it’s likely that many businesses will now be in need of additional employees at the same time. Because of this, we’re anticipating a lack of labour availability for those who may need it most.

With new reopening updates weekly, planning ahead can be difficult for many businesses. That said, forecasting staffing requirements as the economy begins to reopen is imperative, especially with potential labour shortages ahead. For many firms, it may be difficult to recruit and source internally, as there are many other priorities to attend to but that’s where we come in.

As a company built on trust and authenticity, we feel it’s important to be honest with our clients. The next few months ahead won’t be easy. Employers everywhere have been forced to adapt to unseen challenges, change and disruptions, especially in terms of labour.

We believe with support, mentoring and guidance, your business can get through these difficult times and come out on the other side stronger than before. 

As one of Atlantic Canada's most trusted staffing agencies, we take care of the hard parts so you don’t have to. Our highly experienced recruitment team can help your businesses fill-in labour gaps caused by the pandemic by providing part-time or full-time temporary employees so you can focus on what matters most. Plus, we’re always recruiting and have a current labour pool so we can assist for those last minute situations.

Contact your nearest Integrated Staffing office today.