Increased expectations around T&D, hiring, equipment, technology
Working Canadians are more optimistic than they were this time last year about employers' investments in the workplace, according to a BMO Bank of Montreal survey.
Forty-two per cent of the workforce expects employee training and development programs to be offered by their employer this year — up 24 percentage points from last year.
Additionally, 38 percent believe their employers will hire more in 2013 — up 21 percentage points from 2012. This increased optimism can also be seen with the 45 per cent that expect their employer to make investments in new equipment and technology — up 25 percentage points from last year.
"Canadian companies are making strategic investments to upgrade technology and processes, open up new markets, and invest in people," said Steve Murphy, senior vice-president of BMO commercial banking. "Businesses are looking to become as productive as possible, and that may mean taking advantage of historically low interest rates to finance their growth plans and upgrade their talent pool."
Regionally, Albertans are the most likely to say their employer will hire more people in the coming year (52 per cent), invest in training (55 per cent) and purchase new equipment (55 per cent), found the survey of 1,000 people.
Employee expectations for 2013
|
NATIONAL |
REGIONAL |
|||||||||||||||
|
For |
For |
ATL |
QC |
ON |
MB/SK |
AB |
BC |
|||||||||
|
Hire more employees |
38 |
% |
17 |
% |
38 |
% |
27 |
% |
40 |
% |
42 |
% |
52 |
% |
40 |
% |
|
Employee training |
42 |
% |
18 |
% |
38 |
% |
35 |
% |
44 |
% |
43 |
% |
55 |
% |
40 |
% |
|
New equipment, technology |
45 |
% |
20 |
% |
47 |
% |
39 |
% |
46 |
% |
47 |
% |
55 |
% |
42 |
% |
