Business Survey: Difficult To Fill Positions

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 8, 2017) - Express Employment Professionals today released new survey results revealing the level of difficulty employers have in recruiting and filling positions.

In a survey of 1,951 businesses, respondents were asked, "Currently, how easy is it for you to recruit and fill positions?"

Only 5% said "very easy," and 26% said "somewhat easy." Nearly half, 45%, said "somewhat difficult," with 20% saying "very difficult."

Compared to previous similar surveys, fewer businesses are saying it's "very difficult" to fill positions, and more are saying it's "very" or "somewhat easy," compared to a survey conducted in late 2016.

Full results are below.

"Year after year, quarter after quarter, businesses tell us it's not easy to fill positions and recruit qualified talent," said Bob Funk, CEO of Express.

"On the one hand, this is a sign of a tight labor market. And yet, we still have so many people on the sidelines of the job market who want a job but have given up on finding one. With that context, these results reflect the fact that we have people who want jobs but don't have the skills or experience employers need right now. At Express, we've been sounding this alarm for a long time, and we won't stop. It's one of the issues that continues to hold our economy back."

The survey of 1,951 North American businesses, which are current and former clients of Express Employment Professionals, covers hiring trends for the first quarter of 2017. Previous surveys were conducted to cover hiring trends of the quarters indicated.

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bob Funk to discuss this topic, please contact Kellie Major at (613) 222-7488.

About Robert A. Funk

Robert A. "Bob" Funk is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Under his leadership, Express has put more than 6 million people to work worldwide. Funk served as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and was also the Chairman of the Conference of Chairmen of the Federal Reserve.

About Express Employment Professionals and Express in Canada

Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated $3.05 billion in sales and employed nearly 510,000 people in 2016. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually. Express launched in Canada in July 1996, with a franchise in London, Ontario, and since then, has expanded and grown across Canada significantly. There are currently 37 Express franchises in Canada - six in British Columbia, five in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, 23 in Ontario and one in Nova Scotia.