The Hunt for Lost Talent

If there is one complaint that is universal in the business community these days it is that employers are struggling to find people. Talent is in short supply and it is not restricted to the service sector, although that is where it appears to most chronic.

Just what is causing the shortage of potential workers is largely undefined but among the issues being cited is COVID-related support which remains in effect and prospective workers are still drawing government benefits so they don’t need to seek employment.

But, while the complaints from employers are quite common, until now they have been largely anecdotal. That changed with the release of data on job vacancies nationally. Here in Saskatchewan in June, the most recent data, 20,000 were unfilled. In other words, employers had these positions posted and they remained open.

That is a big number. In the past two months, for example, StatsCan said employment levels in Saskatchewan fell by 11,000 in May and June….a figure that is clearly invalid when compared to a vacancy rate of 20,000.