Some employers in Grey Bruce have reported difficulties in hiring the kinds skilled workers they need, and once they do, some struggle to keep those people from quitting.
The Four County Labour Market Planning Board's Employer One Survey looks for insights into the local labour market.
It's asking which skills are in demand and how businesses are doing at attracting and keeping employees.
Employers of all sizes in Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth are being asked to take five minutes to fill it out.
Planning Board Executive Director Gemma Mendez-Smith is hoping to learn what kinds of things employers are doing to keep thier employees, “And what else can we help you do as community service providers?”
They want to avoid people quitting thier jobs, especially when some jobs are hard to fill to begin with, “Over the last five years, we've been hearing from employers that they have hard to fill positions, but we look at the quit rates, and they are fairly high.”
Mendez-Smith notes last year's survey showed a 57 per cent 'quit rate' among employers in Bruce county who responded to the survey. She says in Grey county it was 44 per cent of respondents who reported people quit.
Mendez-Smith also notes the survey, now in its sixth year, gives them statistics they can use to develop programs in the community and have the numbers to back up their reasons for developing programs and resources.
She notes Grey County used the survey numbers when developing programs at the new Sydenham Campus in Owen Sound which aims to address the shortage of superficially skilled workers in the region and to be a community hub for trades training and innovation.
“Data is important and if we use it to tell a story, then people don't even have to be connected with the hard numbers, the story will speak for itself and help people really understand why this is important.”
Mendez-Smith says local labour market data is hard to get without asking employers directly about their experiences, which is why she feels the survey is so important.
The survey is anonymous. The deadline is January 31st.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FCLMPB2020