New surveys show Canadian businesses and older workers want to connect

Surveys conducted by the ThirdQuarter national pilot project found Canadian businesses are planning to hire within the next two years – and they want many of their new employees to be older workers.

That was good news for the Canadians aged 50-plus who were surveyed – they're seeking work as part of an active retirement lifestyle.

The reasons businesses gave for wanting to hire mature workers keyed on their knowledge and skills, flexible work schedules and customer service strengths.

The surveys also revealed that businesses and individuals are in sync when it comes to the type of work hours they're looking for:

• 76% of national businesses surveyed would hire older workers for part-time employment, while 63% of individuals preferred part-time (51.4%) or contractual (12%) work.

"These surveys support what we're seeing from businesses using the ThirdQuarter program," said Bill Smith, national project director for ThirdQuarter.

"Firms are looking for the experience, work ethic and leadership skills that ThirdQuarter Canadians bring to the job because they recognize that makes their businesses more productive and competitive."

ThirdQuarter is a two-year national pilot project that uses a unique online program (www.ThirdQuarter.ca) to match the skills businesses need to mature Canadians aged 50-plus who want to explore new jobs, work flexible hours or volunteer during the third quarter of their lives.

The program currently runs in 14 communities in B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Atlantic provinces, with the majority having populations under 250,000.

As of the end of October, more than 1,800 businesses had registered with ThirdQuarter and posted 2,300 positions. Those jobs drew 13,000 matches from the 5,400 individuals registered with the program.

From January to June 2011, ThirdQuarter undertook three online surveys. They included national businesses that were members of their local chambers of commerce, businesses registered with ThirdQuarter and individuals registered with ThirdQuarter.

The purpose of the research was to collect general information about individuals' retirement and post-retirement work plans; identify business-hiring practices; and determine business attitudes toward employing older workers.

Here are some of the surveys' results.

Hiring Practices & Preferences

• Of the 365 national businesses that took part in the survey, 60.6% had hired a worker aged 50-plus during the past two years.


• The positions filled by those workers included sales and services (29%), management/professional (24%), clerical (16%) and supervisory (12%).


• When the 505 registered individuals were asked what type of occupation they were seeking, 34.8% said nothing specific, 28% wanted a professional occupation or service and 25.4% were looking for clerical work.


• As of late September, the types of positions posted by registered ThirdQuarter businesses included sales and services (39%), management and professional (27%) and clerical (25%).


• Of the jobs and volunteer positions posted by registered ThirdQuarter businesses from the program's inception in May 2010 to Jan. 31, 2011, only 30% were full-time. The remainder were part-time (35%), seasonal (16%) and contractual or weekends/evenings.

Why Businesses Want Mature Workers
When asked their opinions about certain statements regarding older workers, the national businesses had these responses:

• 77.2% agreed or strongly agreed they bring a range of knowledge/skills to the job


• 64.4% agreed or strongly agreed they needed less supervision


• 62.8% agreed or strongly agreed they relate better to customers


• 61.1% agreed or strongly agreed they have more flexible work schedules

Why ThirdQuarters Are Seeking Work
When asked to select the reason(s) they were seeking work, 73.4% of individuals wanted to keep active, 57.3% wanted extra spending money, 56.5% needed the income and 44.5% wanted more social interaction.

ThirdQuarter began in May 2010 and runs until April 2012. The project is funded by the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and with contributions by the participating chambers of commerce.

Contact?
National Project Director - Bill Smithphone: (204) 294.5266

email: bill.smith@thirdquarter.ca