IBM Canada ranked at the top of a list of Canada’s 150 largest companies to take the 2015 Randstad Award. Over 9,500 Canadians were polled this year and asked to identify the characteristics they find most attractive in an employer.
With the unemployment rate in Canada rising to 6.8%, employers may feel like they have an abundance of choice when it comes to hiring, but this also means companies are operating with leaner staff and that attracting the most talented workers is of the utmost importance - and what’s the key to attracting and retaining the best? A strong, reputable employer brand.
The Randstad Award is chosen by the very pool of Canadian workers who are looking for jobs and is the only people’s choice award when it comes to rating Canada’s largest companies. In addition to identifying Canada’s Most Attractive Employer, the survey revealed many insights into the Canadian labour force market, such as:
Top 5 Most Desirable Sectors – Transport & Logistics (43%), High Tech Manufacturing (42%), Motor Vehicle & Parts (40%), Food Trade & FMCG (39%) and Finance (39%)
Most Important Factors when Considering an Employer – Competitive salary & employee benefits (70%), long-term job security (53%), pleasant work atmosphere (50%), good work-life balance (44%) and interesting job content (38%) among others
Factors that Contribute to Canadians Looking for Work Elsewhere – Lack of career growth opportunities (40%), compensation that is too low (38%) and lack of interest in their job (30%) were cited as the top three reasons Canadians choose to look for another employer
Reasons Canadians Stay with their Current Employer – Good work-life balance (46%), competitive salary (40%) and flexible working arrangements placed at the top of a list of the many reasons Canadians choose to stay at their current company
Rounding out the top 5 in 2015 alongside IBM Canada are: WestJet Airlines (last year’s winner), Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada, Canadian Solar and Bombardier – indicating that innovation is attractive to Canadian job seekers.
