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SLIGHTLY HIGHER SALARY INCREASES EXPECTED
FOR CANADIAN WORKERS IN 2019
The average pay increase for non-unionized Canadian employ-ees
is projected to be 2.6 per cent in 2019, up slightly from the
2.4 per cent average increase received this year, according to
The Conference Board of Canada’s Compensation Planning
Outlook 2019.
“Over the past few years, we have seen wage increases among
the lowest they have been in the past two decades. We are now
seeing an improvement and compensation planners are looking to
offer increases in 2019 that remain ahead of inflation,” said Allison
Cowan, director, Total Rewards, HR and Labour Relations
Research, The Conference Board of Canada.
Highlights:
■■ Voluntary turnover rates are on the rise and nearly two-thirds of
employers report challenges recruiting and retaining employees
with specific skills.
■■ The professions in highest demand include IT specialists,
management, engineering, skilled trades and sales and marketing.
Projected increases are highest in the food, beverage and tobacco
products industry (three per cent) and the oil and gas and tech-nology
industries (2.9 per cent). The lowest average increases are
expected in the health sector at 1.6 per cent.
Voluntary turnover increased in the past year, averaging 8.1
per cent, compared with 7.1 per cent in 2017. At 64 per cent, the
number of organizations experiencing challenges recruiting or
retaining specific skills is slightly more than the 57 per cent who
reported the same last year. Challenges vary by industry, with
the most acute attraction and retention challenges experienced
in wholesale trade (91 per cent), accommodation, tourism, food,
entertainment and personal services (88 per cent) and construc-tion
(75 per cent).
The professions in highest demand continue to be IT specialists,
skilled trades, management and engineering. Sales and market-ing
now round out the top five with the demand for accounting/
finance specialists decreasing.
The 37th edition of the Compensation Planning Outlook sum-marizes
the results of The Conference Board of Canada’s annual
compensation survey and forecast. It also provides information
WHEN IT COMES TO
SEASONAL SOIREES,
25 PER CENT OF
ORGANIZATIONS ARE
PLANNING TO SPEND
MORE THIS YEAR,
WHILE ONLY TEN PER
CENT ANTICIPATE
CUTTING COSTS.
Jrg Stber/123rf.com
8 ❚ DECEMBER 2018 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
/123rf.com