"Has your team adopted AI yet?"

I really love to see this.

Hiring managers in Canada are honing in on AI skills for new hires, as well as getting more AI training for their current staff.

There has been a significant uptick in businesses simply contracting out for AI services in areas they are not well versed in.

Giving rise to the artificial intelligence agency on a global scale.

We are seeing this first hand.

It is much easier, and faster, for businesses and even governments, to contract an artificial intelligence agency to implement AI use cases for their organisation, rather than have their staff trained, or hire an AI specialist internally.

Training and hiring take a long time, and turnover is the bane of both.

After you've trained your staff on AI, how likely are they to find a better paying job with their new found skills.

It's high - especially high right now.

I can tell you that anyone well versed enough in AI can immediately recognise the profound knowledge gap between their newfound ability, and the rest of the world.

This gap of familiarity with AI technology and tools, between those who have been trained, and those who have not, is creating a new marketplace.

The advent of the social media marketing agency came about because of a similar knowledge gap in the early 2010s.

Businesses did not know of SEO or social media ads, and contracted out agencies to fill the gap.

That is how Peak Demand started almost 10 years ago.

Unfortunately for Canadians though, the agency economy in Canada did not take off like the one in the states.

Peak demand only survived by doing business overseas.

Many Canadian businesses do not engage in the digital frontier at all, especially when compared to the U.S.

I can even remember calling businesses to promote their website or optimise their business for search, only to be called a liar or a scammer or being told that "this web stuff doesn't work".

That was my personal experience with Canadian business owners, and digital.

All of this has lead to a markedly low presence of digitally skilled workers in the Canadian workplace across the board.

And even more interestingly, these digitally skilled workers would have been the ushers into adopting AI today, as demonstrated in the United States and beyond.

Canadians have put tech on the back burner for the last 3 decades, exacerbating the sluggish adoption curve for the country.

And those who recognise the power of AI are struggling to keep pace in this new lightning fast environment, unless they get some outside help.

So if your team is still trying to figure out how to implement AI within your organisation, feel free to schedule a discovery call with us.

There are now millions of use cases across all industries and sectors, it's just a matter of aligning those use cases, and tools, with your vision.

We are here to help.

Alex, Peak Demand

alex@peakdemand.ca

TEXT +1 (647) 691-0082 to chat with Peak Demand assistant, Sasha.

or

Email to sasha@info.peakdemand.ca

A summary of the article is included below.

Original Article: How is AI impacting hiring in Canada?

Link to Original Article: https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/automation-ai/how-is-ai-impacting-hiring-in-canada/388994

Summary: As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to permeate the workforce in Canada, it is significantly reshaping hiring practices. A recent survey reveals that 51% of Canadian managers believe AI is shifting the demand for high-skill workers. While 40% of employers report an increase in the hiring of contract workers and 32% expect overall hiring to rise, many Canadian workers feel unprepared to leverage AI in their roles. Despite these changes, traditional employment desires remain strong, with salary being the primary concern for 60% of job seekers. However, long hiring cycles are contributing to high turnover rates, further complicating the recruitment landscape. Employers face challenges such as rising recruitment costs and the need for flexibility, as many workers prefer hybrid work arrangements. To counteract these issues, employers are focusing on upskilling existing staff and attracting contract talent.

Key Takeaways

1. AI's Impact on Skill Demand:

   • Changing Landscape: 51% of Canadian managers indicate that AI is reshaping the demand for high-skill workers, pushing companies to prioritize skills relevant to AI and automation.

   • Need for Continuous Learning: Organizations are encouraged to foster a culture of continuous learning and skill-building to keep pace with technological advancements.

2. Rise in Contract Employment:

   • Contract Workers on the Rise: 40% of employers report an increase in hiring contract workers, reflecting a shift toward more flexible work arrangements as businesses adapt to new technologies.

   • Outsourcing Trends: 29% of employers are increasingly outsourcing projects, indicating a strategic shift in how companies manage resources and expertise.

3. Salary as a Primary Concern:

   • Top Priority: For 60% of workers, salary remains the primary factor in job satisfaction and career decisions, highlighting the need for competitive compensation.

   • Inflation Concerns: With 92% of professionals worried about inflation outpacing salary growth, organizations may need to re-evaluate their salary structures to attract and retain talent.

4. Challenges in Recruitment:

   • Long Hiring Cycles: Many employers face prolonged hiring processes, leading to a turnover rate exacerbated by 44% of managers citing heavy workloads as a contributing factor.

   • Increased Costs: High recruitment costs (42%) and the risk of losing top candidates to competitors (40%) pose significant challenges for employers.

5. Desire for Workplace Flexibility:

   • Hybrid Work Preferences: 44% of workers express a preference for two to three days per week in the office, while employers generally prefer their teams in the office four days a week, indicating a disconnect between employer expectations and employee desires.

   • Flexibility as a Hiring Incentive: 32% of workers seeking new roles cite greater flexibility as their primary motivation, prompting employers to reconsider their work policies.

6. Focus on Upskilling and Training:

   • Investing in Current Employees: Nearly 49% of businesses planning to use AI intend to train their current workforce to adapt to new technologies, suggesting a proactive approach to skill development.

   • Addressing Succession Planning: Employers are also focusing on upskilling to address a lack of suitable succession candidates (42%) and insufficient leadership interest among internal candidates (35%).

7. Adaptation to AI Technologies:

   • Need for AI Preparedness: Half of Canadian employers believe their workforce is unprepared to use AI, underscoring the importance of training and development in AI literacy.

   • Integrating AI in Hiring: As AI continues to transform hiring processes, organizations must find ways to leverage technology effectively while maintaining a human-centered approach to recruitment.