Annual gain will be slightly higher than in 2018
.jpg)
Next year should see a slight increase in the annual salary increases for average Canadian workers.
A new report from the Conference Board of Canada calls for a 2.6% year-over-year increase nationally for non-unionized workers, outpacing 2018’s 2.4%.
“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.
Workers in Saskatchewan are forecast to see the largest rise in their pay checks with an average of 2.9%; followed by Quebec (2.7%), BC, Alberta, and the Atlantic Provinces (2.6%), Ontario (2.5%), and Manitoba (2.3%).
The largest increases by sector are expected in the food, beverage, and tobacco products industry should lead the wage increases with a 3% gain, with oil, gas, and technology industry workers not far behind at 2.9%. Health sector workers will lag with a rise of just 1.6% year-over-year.
Employers challenged by talent shortage
The Compensation Planning Outlook 2019 reveals that voluntary turnover rates are on the rise and nearly two-thirds of employers report challenges recruiting and retaining employees with specific skills.
IT specialists, management, engineering, skilled trades, and sales and marketing are the professions most in demand.
