Last Updated On 4 November 2022, 10:03 AM EDT (Toronto Time)

Indeed’s holiday jobs hiring trends report, published on Wednesday, shows that seasonal job posts for this winter are up 28% from last year and 40% above the levels in 2019. While the percentage of job seekers looking for seasonal work is up 25% from last year, it is still slightly below pre-pandemic levels.

According to a recent Indeed study, employers may find it more difficult to find temporary workers during the upcoming holiday season due to the increase in job postings compared to before the pandemic.

The survey stated that while hiring will likely increase generally over the holiday season (November 2022 – January 2023), certain businesses may have trouble filling positions due to increased demand for seasonal workers and job seeker interest.

Possible solutions to finding seasonal workers

Indeed’s Senior Economist Brendon Bernard says the seasonal hiring trend is similar to the rest of the labour market. Employers have reported difficulty filling positions across the sector, and this season, he predicted, will be no different.

Bernard says employers may need to change compensation to attract new hires or provide flexible schedules.

Nevertheless, he believes it would be challenging to fill certain posts for some specific organizations. He suggests that the question employers must ask themselves is, what are they doing to set themselves apart?

Moreover, Indeed says that holiday season hiring typically begins in September, but positions for holiday jobs have accelerated early this year.

The aftermath of the pandemic

After two years of slowed recruiting due to the pandemic, it is a strong turnaround, says Bernard. There has been a little more return to normal this year, says Bernad. However, he said it’s likely that employers are getting ready for an expected increase in foot traffic.

Indeed report shows that the market’s overall share of seasonal employment is 1.3 per cent, higher than in 2021 but not nearly at pre-pandemic levels. In 2022, Canada’s overall job postings will have reached record highs, indicating a more competitive employment market, particularly in some industries.

Further, seasonal employment for customer service agents and sales associates is concentrated in the retail sector. Indeed data shows that customer-facing retail jobs make up half of this year’s seasonal postings.

Other Expert Opinion

Michelle Wasylyshen, the spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada, says the labour shortage is a persistent problem in retail.

She explained that retailers are anxious about their ability to ramp up staffing numbers with the approaching Christmas shopping season and significant shopping occasions like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Boxing Day.

There has been a decrease in the pool of part-time workers, which Wasylyshen says is one factor causing the retail labour crisis. Throughout the pandemic, “fewer seniors and young people returned to the workplace,” she said.

If retailers cannot meet their employment needs, they may need to cut hours or take other corrective measures to increase compensation to attract workers, she added.