|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labour Force Survey November 2006
Employment edged up an estimated 22,000 in November, the result of gains in part-time work. The unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage points to 6.3%, as more people entered the labour market in search of work. Following a pause over the summer months, employment has risen by 89,000 since August. So far this year, employment has grown by 1.7%.
The number of private sector employees jumped by an estimated 50,000 in November. So far in 2006, the number of employees in the private sector is up 3.1%, nearly four times the rate of growth in the public sector.
Employment in Alberta continued its upward trend in November. Since the start of the year, employment in the province is up 6.2% — more than three times the national rate of growth.
Gains in employment pushed Nova Scotia's unemployment rate down 0.8 percentage points in November to a 30-year low of 7.4%.
Alberta continues to drive employment growth
Employment continued to increase in Alberta in November (+10,000). The unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage points to 3.1%, the result of more people entering the labour market in search of work. Since the start of 2006, employment in the province has increased by 112,000. Alberta continues to fuel employment growth in the country, accounting for 40% of the national increase so far this year.
While employment was little changed in Saskatchewan in November, it has grown by 4.2% since the start of the year. Similarly, employment in Newfoundland and Labrador has also been on an upward trend with growth of 3.9% over the past 11 months.
Fastest growth in natural resources
While there was little change across industries in November, several have shown strong growth over the course of the year. The natural resource sector has seen the fastest rate of employment growth, up 11.8% (+36,000). Most of this increase came from Alberta (+19,000) and British Columbia (+16,000) and was largely in mining, oil and gas extraction as well as activities that support this industry.
Other industries showing strong gains this year include business, building and other support services, up 6.9% (+46,000), mainly due to increases in business and employment services. Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing saw gains of 6.1% (+61,000), the result of hiring in monetary authorities, rental and leasing services and real estate. There was also growth in one of Canada's largest industries, health care and social assistance, up 5.0% (+86,000) so far this year.
Despite little change in construction in November, employment in the industry has increased by 34,000 (+3.3%) so far this year. Strength in Alberta has driven much of the growth (+19,000).
Central Canada lags behind national growth rate
Despite an employment increase in Ontario (+19,000) in November, growth in the province so far this year has been hindered by declines in manufacturing (-63,000). These losses were offset by gains in a number of service industries, including: trade; health care and social assistance; and finance, insurance, real estate and leasing. Since December 2005, overall employment in the province has increased by only 71,000 (+1.1%).
In Quebec, so far this year, employment growth has been dampened by losses in both manufacturing and trade resulting in growth of only 0.7%. As with Ontario, weaknesses were also offset by gains in the service sector.
| Labour force characteristics by age and sex |
| |
October 2006 |
November 2006 |
October to November 2006 |
November 2005 to November 2006 |
October to November 2006 |
November 2005 to November 2006 |
| |
Seasonally adjusted |
| |
thousands |
change in thousands |
% change |
| Both sexes 15+ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
26,298.9 |
26,329.8 |
30.9 |
370.2 |
0.1 |
1.4 |
| Labour force |
17,641.2 |
17,687.2 |
46.0 |
277.7 |
0.3 |
1.6 |
| Employment |
16,555.5 |
16,577.9 |
22.4 |
274.5 |
0.1 |
1.7 |
| Full-time |
13,617.5 |
13,599.4 |
-18.1 |
264.9 |
-0.1 |
2.0 |
| Part-time |
2,938.0 |
2,978.5 |
40.5 |
9.6 |
1.4 |
0.3 |
| Unemployment |
1,085.7 |
1,109.3 |
23.6 |
3.2 |
2.2 |
0.3 |
| Participation rate |
67.1 |
67.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
6.2 |
6.3 |
0.1 |
-0.1 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
63.0 |
63.0 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
... |
... |
| Part-time rate |
17.7 |
18.0 |
0.3 |
-0.2 |
... |
... |
| Youths 15 to 24 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
4,332.1 |
4,335.4 |
3.3 |
36.1 |
0.1 |
0.8 |
| Labour force |
2,871.5 |
2,872.7 |
1.2 |
44.8 |
0.0 |
1.6 |
| Employment |
2,547.4 |
2,534.4 |
-13.0 |
26.5 |
-0.5 |
1.1 |
| Full-time |
1,458.9 |
1,426.7 |
-32.2 |
38.0 |
-2.2 |
2.7 |
| Part-time |
1,088.5 |
1,107.6 |
19.1 |
-11.6 |
1.8 |
-1.0 |
| Unemployment |
324.1 |
338.3 |
14.2 |
18.3 |
4.4 |
5.7 |
| Participation rate |
66.3 |
66.3 |
0.0 |
0.5 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
11.3 |
11.8 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
58.8 |
58.5 |
-0.3 |
0.2 |
... |
... |
| Part-time rate |
42.7 |
43.7 |
1.0 |
-0.9 |
... |
... |
| Men 25+ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
10,728.7 |
10,742.7 |
14.0 |
166.8 |
0.1 |
1.6 |
| Labour force |
7,889.9 |
7,914.0 |
24.1 |
79.2 |
0.3 |
1.0 |
| Employment |
7,466.4 |
7,491.6 |
25.2 |
91.3 |
0.3 |
1.2 |
| Full-time |
6,991.2 |
6,995.1 |
3.9 |
82.0 |
0.1 |
1.2 |
| Part-time |
475.2 |
496.6 |
21.4 |
9.4 |
4.5 |
1.9 |
| Unemployment |
423.6 |
422.3 |
-1.3 |
-12.2 |
-0.3 |
-2.8 |
| Participation rate |
73.5 |
73.7 |
0.2 |
-0.4 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
5.4 |
5.3 |
-0.1 |
-0.2 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
69.6 |
69.7 |
0.1 |
-0.3 |
... |
... |
| Part-time rate |
6.4 |
6.6 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
... |
... |
| Women 25+ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
11,238.1 |
11,251.7 |
13.6 |
167.3 |
0.1 |
1.5 |
| Labour force |
6,879.8 |
6,900.5 |
20.7 |
153.7 |
0.3 |
2.3 |
| Employment |
6,541.8 |
6,551.9 |
10.1 |
156.8 |
0.2 |
2.5 |
| Full-time |
5,167.4 |
5,177.6 |
10.2 |
144.9 |
0.2 |
2.9 |
| Part-time |
1,374.4 |
1,374.3 |
-0.1 |
11.9 |
0.0 |
0.9 |
| Unemployment |
338.0 |
348.6 |
10.6 |
-3.1 |
3.1 |
-0.9 |
| Participation rate |
61.2 |
61.3 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
4.9 |
5.1 |
0.2 |
-0.1 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
58.2 |
58.2 |
0.0 |
0.5 |
... |
... |
| Part-time rate |
21.0 |
21.0 |
0.0 |
-0.3 |
... |
... |
| ... | not applicable |
| Note: | Related CANSIM table 282-0087. |
|
| Employment by class of worker and industry (based on NAICS) |
| |
October 2006 |
November 2006 |
October to November 2006 |
November 2005 to November 2006 |
October to November 2006 |
November 2005 to November 2006 |
| |
Seasonally adjusted |
| |
thousands |
change in thousands |
% change |
| Class of worker |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Employees |
14,087.6 |
14,099.1 |
11.5 |
336.9 |
0.1 |
2.4 |
| Self-employed |
2,467.9 |
2,478.8 |
10.9 |
-62.4 |
0.4 |
-2.5 |
| Public/private sector employees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Public |
3,222.4 |
3,183.7 |
-38.7 |
39.2 |
-1.2 |
1.2 |
| Private |
10,865.2 |
10,915.3 |
50.1 |
297.6 |
0.5 |
2.8 |
| All industries |
16,555.5 |
16,577.9 |
22.4 |
274.5 |
0.1 |
1.7 |
| Goods-producing sector |
3,977.0 |
3,996.5 |
19.5 |
-11.3 |
0.5 |
-0.3 |
| Agriculture |
339.0 |
337.5 |
-1.5 |
-4.8 |
-0.4 |
-1.4 |
| Natural resources |
341.5 |
345.0 |
3.5 |
39.0 |
1.0 |
12.7 |
| Utilities |
127.1 |
124.3 |
-2.8 |
5.8 |
-2.2 |
4.9 |
| Construction |
1,079.2 |
1,086.4 |
7.2 |
20.9 |
0.7 |
2.0 |
| Manufacturing |
2,090.2 |
2,103.4 |
13.2 |
-72.0 |
0.6 |
-3.3 |
| Service-producing sector |
12,578.5 |
12,581.4 |
2.9 |
285.8 |
0.0 |
2.3 |
| Trade |
2,629.1 |
2,641.1 |
12.0 |
44.6 |
0.5 |
1.7 |
| Transportation and warehousing |
800.5 |
815.5 |
15.0 |
10.2 |
1.9 |
1.3 |
| Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing |
1,055.7 |
1,057.0 |
1.3 |
81.0 |
0.1 |
8.3 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services |
1,084.1 |
1,103.1 |
19.0 |
36.7 |
1.8 |
3.4 |
| Business, building and other support services |
712.9 |
711.0 |
-1.9 |
36.9 |
-0.3 |
5.5 |
| Educational services |
1,174.1 |
1,163.7 |
-10.4 |
19.6 |
-0.9 |
1.7 |
| Health care and social assistance |
1,803.0 |
1,806.6 |
3.6 |
64.8 |
0.2 |
3.7 |
| Information, culture and recreation |
748.3 |
735.9 |
-12.4 |
-8.3 |
-1.7 |
-1.1 |
| Accommodation and food services |
1,035.0 |
1,031.5 |
-3.5 |
10.1 |
-0.3 |
1.0 |
| Other services |
696.4 |
684.4 |
-12.0 |
-17.4 |
-1.7 |
-2.5 |
| Public administration |
839.3 |
831.6 |
-7.7 |
7.5 |
-0.9 |
0.9 |
| Note: | Related to CANSIM tables 282-0088 and 282-0089. |
|
| Labour force characteristics by province |
| |
October 2006 |
November 2006 |
October to November 2006 |
November 2005 to November 2006 |
October to November 2006 |
November 2005 to November 2006 |
| |
Seasonally adjusted |
| |
thousands |
change in thousands |
% change |
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
426.9 |
426.6 |
-0.3 |
-2.7 |
-0.1 |
-0.6 |
| Labour force |
255.6 |
253.9 |
-1.7 |
-1.1 |
-0.7 |
-0.4 |
| Employment |
219.4 |
219.2 |
-0.2 |
2.0 |
-0.1 |
0.9 |
| Full-time |
186.6 |
184.2 |
-2.4 |
1.0 |
-1.3 |
0.5 |
| Part-time |
32.8 |
35.1 |
2.3 |
1.1 |
7.0 |
3.2 |
| Unemployment |
36.2 |
34.7 |
-1.5 |
-3.1 |
-4.1 |
-8.2 |
| Participation rate |
59.9 |
59.5 |
-0.4 |
0.1 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
14.2 |
13.7 |
-0.5 |
-1.1 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
51.4 |
51.4 |
0.0 |
0.8 |
... |
... |
| Prince Edward Island |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
112.5 |
112.6 |
0.1 |
0.7 |
0.1 |
0.6 |
| Labour force |
76.3 |
77.4 |
1.1 |
0.5 |
1.4 |
0.7 |
| Employment |
67.8 |
68.6 |
0.8 |
-0.1 |
1.2 |
-0.1 |
| Full-time |
56.8 |
57.6 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
1.4 |
0.5 |
| Part-time |
11.0 |
11.1 |
0.1 |
-0.3 |
0.9 |
-2.6 |
| Unemployment |
8.5 |
8.7 |
0.2 |
0.5 |
2.4 |
6.1 |
| Participation rate |
67.8 |
68.7 |
0.9 |
0.0 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
11.1 |
11.2 |
0.1 |
0.5 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
60.3 |
60.9 |
0.6 |
-0.5 |
... |
... |
| Nova Scotia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
763.2 |
763.3 |
0.1 |
1.4 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
| Labour force |
480.2 |
479.3 |
-0.9 |
-2.9 |
-0.2 |
-0.6 |
| Employment |
441.0 |
444.0 |
3.0 |
1.7 |
0.7 |
0.4 |
| Full-time |
358.2 |
361.1 |
2.9 |
1.0 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
| Part-time |
82.8 |
82.8 |
0.0 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
0.7 |
| Unemployment |
39.2 |
35.4 |
-3.8 |
-4.5 |
-9.7 |
-11.3 |
| Participation rate |
62.9 |
62.8 |
-0.1 |
-0.5 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
8.2 |
7.4 |
-0.8 |
-0.9 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
57.8 |
58.2 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
... |
... |
| New Brunswick |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
611.0 |
611.0 |
0.0 |
-0.4 |
0.0 |
-0.1 |
| Labour force |
383.8 |
384.6 |
0.8 |
-3.6 |
0.2 |
-0.9 |
| Employment |
352.7 |
352.1 |
-0.6 |
0.2 |
-0.2 |
0.1 |
| Full-time |
297.9 |
297.4 |
-0.5 |
0.9 |
-0.2 |
0.3 |
| Part-time |
54.8 |
54.6 |
-0.2 |
-0.8 |
-0.4 |
-1.4 |
| Unemployment |
31.1 |
32.6 |
1.5 |
-3.8 |
4.8 |
-10.4 |
| Participation rate |
62.8 |
62.9 |
0.1 |
-0.6 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
8.1 |
8.5 |
0.4 |
-0.9 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
57.7 |
57.6 |
-0.1 |
0.0 |
... |
... |
| Quebec |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
6,272.6 |
6,277.8 |
5.2 |
66.7 |
0.1 |
1.1 |
| Labour force |
4,101.7 |
4,111.2 |
9.5 |
40.0 |
0.2 |
1.0 |
| Employment |
3,784.5 |
3,782.1 |
-2.4 |
36.5 |
-0.1 |
1.0 |
| Full-time |
3,115.0 |
3,108.9 |
-6.1 |
58.9 |
-0.2 |
1.9 |
| Part-time |
669.4 |
673.2 |
3.8 |
-22.4 |
0.6 |
-3.2 |
| Unemployment |
317.2 |
329.2 |
12.0 |
3.7 |
3.8 |
1.1 |
| Participation rate |
65.4 |
65.5 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
7.7 |
8.0 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
60.3 |
60.2 |
-0.1 |
-0.1 |
... |
... |
| ... | not applicable |
| Note: | Related CANSIM table 282-0087. |
|
| Labour force characteristics by province |
| |
October 2006 |
November 2006 |
October to November 2006 |
November 2005 to November 2006 |
October to November 2006 |
November 2005 to November 2006 |
| |
Seasonally adjusted |
| |
thousands |
change in thousands |
% change |
| Ontario |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
10,270.7 |
10,281.3 |
10.6 |
139.7 |
0.1 |
1.4 |
| Labour force |
6,926.9 |
6,948.7 |
21.8 |
84.4 |
0.3 |
1.2 |
| Employment |
6,485.5 |
6,504.6 |
19.1 |
57.8 |
0.3 |
0.9 |
| Full-time |
5,346.6 |
5,343.1 |
-3.5 |
41.4 |
-0.1 |
0.8 |
| Part-time |
1,138.9 |
1,161.5 |
22.6 |
16.5 |
2.0 |
1.4 |
| Unemployment |
441.4 |
444.1 |
2.7 |
26.6 |
0.6 |
6.4 |
| Participation rate |
67.4 |
67.6 |
0.2 |
-0.1 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
6.4 |
6.4 |
0.0 |
0.3 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
63.1 |
63.3 |
0.2 |
-0.3 |
... |
... |
| Manitoba |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
893.1 |
893.3 |
0.2 |
3.2 |
0.0 |
0.4 |
| Labour force |
613.8 |
615.3 |
1.5 |
6.1 |
0.2 |
1.0 |
| Employment |
588.2 |
587.3 |
-0.9 |
3.0 |
-0.2 |
0.5 |
| Full-time |
468.5 |
472.4 |
3.9 |
2.6 |
0.8 |
0.6 |
| Part-time |
119.8 |
114.9 |
-4.9 |
0.4 |
-4.1 |
0.3 |
| Unemployment |
25.5 |
28.1 |
2.6 |
3.2 |
10.2 |
12.9 |
| Participation rate |
68.7 |
68.9 |
0.2 |
0.5 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
4.2 |
4.6 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
65.9 |
65.7 |
-0.2 |
0.1 |
... |
... |
| Saskatchewan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
746.1 |
746.1 |
0.0 |
-2.4 |
0.0 |
-0.3 |
| Labour force |
520.6 |
520.2 |
-0.4 |
12.9 |
-0.1 |
2.5 |
| Employment |
500.3 |
499.7 |
-0.6 |
18.7 |
-0.1 |
3.9 |
| Full-time |
406.9 |
407.0 |
0.1 |
18.6 |
0.0 |
4.8 |
| Part-time |
93.4 |
92.7 |
-0.7 |
0.1 |
-0.7 |
0.1 |
| Unemployment |
20.3 |
20.5 |
0.2 |
-5.8 |
1.0 |
-22.1 |
| Participation rate |
69.8 |
69.7 |
-0.1 |
1.9 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
3.9 |
3.9 |
0.0 |
-1.3 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
67.1 |
67.0 |
-0.1 |
2.7 |
... |
... |
| Alberta |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
2,673.9 |
2,684.0 |
10.1 |
103.4 |
0.4 |
4.0 |
| Labour force |
1,960.6 |
1,973.8 |
13.2 |
98.9 |
0.7 |
5.3 |
| Employment |
1,902.1 |
1,911.9 |
9.8 |
115.2 |
0.5 |
6.4 |
| Full-time |
1,614.3 |
1,615.2 |
0.9 |
113.4 |
0.1 |
7.6 |
| Part-time |
287.8 |
296.7 |
8.9 |
1.9 |
3.1 |
0.6 |
| Unemployment |
58.5 |
62.0 |
3.5 |
-16.3 |
6.0 |
-20.8 |
| Participation rate |
73.3 |
73.5 |
0.2 |
0.8 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
3.0 |
3.1 |
0.1 |
-1.1 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
71.1 |
71.2 |
0.1 |
1.6 |
... |
... |
| British Columbia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Population |
3,528.9 |
3,533.7 |
4.8 |
60.5 |
0.1 |
1.7 |
| Labour force |
2,321.7 |
2,322.7 |
1.0 |
42.4 |
0.0 |
1.9 |
| Employment |
2,214.0 |
2,208.5 |
-5.5 |
39.5 |
-0.2 |
1.8 |
| Full-time |
1,766.5 |
1,751.9 |
-14.6 |
25.8 |
-0.8 |
1.5 |
| Part-time |
447.5 |
456.5 |
9.0 |
13.6 |
2.0 |
3.1 |
| Unemployment |
107.7 |
114.2 |
6.5 |
2.8 |
6.0 |
2.5 |
| Participation rate |
65.8 |
65.7 |
-0.1 |
0.0 |
... |
... |
| Unemployment rate |
4.6 |
4.9 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
... |
... |
| Employment rate |
62.7 |
62.5 |
-0.2 |
0.1 |
... |
... |
| ... | not applicable |
| Note: | Related CANSIM table 282-0087. |
|
|
UW team uses smart shirts to study people's attention spans
WATERLOO - A University of Waterloo research team will use so-called smart shirts to study the attention spans of people doing everyday tasks and suggest ways to improve safety standards.
Daniel Smilek, a UW professor of psychology, will use the LifeShirt System from VivoMetrics, of Ventura, Calif., to conduct a new study on human visual attention. The project, entitled A Portable Laboratory for Studying Human Attention in the Real World, recently received a $78,927 grant from the provincial government's Ontario Research Fund, matching an earlier grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
Smilek's study is among the first to shed light on how human attention operates and fails in everyday situations. He said the technology provides a portable laboratory for studying visual attention.
"Despite the clear importance of attention in everyday life, little is known about how human attention operates and fails in real-world situations," he said. "We are excited to undertake this important research on human attention in realistic settings.
"The information we hope to gain from the research will play a valuable role in the future development of policy regarding safety in several areas that require a high level of direct attention from an individual."
Smilek expects to have the portable LifeShirt and other equipment necessary for the study by the end of the year, with data collection beginning next spring. Publishable results should be available by late fall of 2007.
The work will set a new standard for attention research. It will have significant impact on public policy -- for example, safety regulations -- and on technology design -- for example, human factors engineering.
Although much is known about human attentiveness and its importance to overall health and performance, LifeShirt will enable researchers to conduct experiments in the field, while subjects are engaging in such daily activities as driving a car or working in a state of fatigue.
Users wear a lightweight, machine-washable garment with embedded sensors that collect pulmonary, cardiac, posture and activity signals. An electronic diary captures the subjective input of users. All physiological and subject data are correlated over time.
The technology makes it possible to study how various human processes work together while dealing with real-world situations, as well as attention in everyday tasks.
As the goal is to understand how physiological processes correlate with a person's focus, LifeShirt provides data in a non-invasive way on the vital signs of a subject, including EEG (electroencephalogram) and respiratory function. Other equipment, including tools designed to track subjects' eye movements and focus, will be incorporated into the research design.
|
What does corporate Canada agree on? Taking sick days, apparently
Memo to employees: banish guilt; 76 per cent of bosses say if you're sick, stay home
TORONTO - It's that time of year again; when the sound of sniffles, sneezing and coughing overpowers the productive whirl of typing, faxing and photocopying around the office. And to the many Canadians who continue to suffer through a seasonal cold or flu at work, their bosses have a strong message to send: stay home.
A recent poll commissioned by the makers of Benylin(+) reveals that the
vast majority (76%) of Canadian bosses would prefer employees to stay home
when sick. But gender does play a role. Eight out of ten male managers give
the thumbs-up to staying home when ill, compared to only 65 per cent of female
bosses.
The reality is, today's employees do find it difficult to overcome guilt
and give themselves permission to miss a day of work. This might explain why
nearly half (46%) took no sick days in the past 12 months. One third (35%) of
the employees surveyed admitted to always or sometimes feeling guilty when
calling in sick. In fact, 62 per cent of employees surveyed said they would
have to feel severely ill before they would miss a day of work. And who, among
Canadian men and woman, feels most guilty? Interestingly, 46 per cent of women
admitted to always or sometimes feeling guilty when they call in sick compared
to just 25 per cent of men.
"At this time of year, I see many professionals in my practice who are
suffering from a cold or flu but feel they must soldier through their work
days," says family physician Dr. Nayana Suchak. "What is not realized is one
day at home - where you can rest and avoid contaminating others - is key to
breaking the seasonal sickness cycle."
Bed rest affects bottom line
Indeed, concern over germ and virus spreadability isn't the only factor
motivating employers to endorse sick days. Findings from the poll suggest that
a healthier, "balanced" workforce contributes directly to the bottom line. An
overwhelming majority (86%) of Canadian bosses agree their employees are more
productive when they take a sick day to recover from illness.
Across the country, most bosses echoed this sentiment, especially in
Ontario where 94 per cent of managers agree that employees are more productive
when they took a sick day. Managers in Manitoba/Saskatchewan came a close
second at 89 per cent with Quebec employers filling the last slot at 72 per
cent.
"The war-like mentality which dominated the business world a few decades
ago is passé," says Peter Rodriguez, Senior Brand Manager of Benylin at Pfizer
Consumer Healthcare, which was recently named one of Canada's healthiest
workplaces by the Canadian Healthy Workplace Council.
"Managers and employees now realize that in order to achieve peak
performance they need to be healthy, refreshed and engaged, otherwise
efficiency and productivity suffer," adds Rodriguez. "This study reinforces
that something as simple as giving yourself permission to take a sick day when
you are ill has become a perfectly acceptable - and preferred - practice. So
much so that this concept is now part of our marketing foundation and efforts
with our new "Take A Benylin Day" campaign."
Prescription for work and life wellness
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance need not be complicated. Dr.
Suchak offers the following recommendations for obtaining optimal work-health
balance:
<<
- Don't lose balance. The ideal lifestyle should involve a healthy
balance of work and play. Have reasonable expectations of yourself,
your colleagues and boss as well as your family.
- Know your workplace respiratory etiquette. Coughing, sneezing and
constant nose-blowing is not only disruptive but also exposes your
co-workers to your contagious symptoms and increases the possibility
of spreading the infection. Know when you're feeling well enough to go
to work or when to stay home.
- Don't suffer. If you find yourself sick, remember the three R's: rest,
remedy, recover. Seventy eight per cent of employers see colds, flu or
being sick and contagious as justifiable reasons for calling in sick.
So allow yourself to take a day away from work and chores. Adequate
rest is key, but hard to achieve with a stuffy nose or cough.
Over-the-counter medications - such as Benylin All-in-One - help
relieve your cold and flu symptoms. Combined, this prescription of
rest and remedy is key to a speedy recovery.
>>
|
Most IT Executives Don't Plan to Give Electronics This Holiday Season
TORONTO - Don't count on scoring a new laptop computer or PDA from the technology executive in your life. According to a recent survey, more than three-quarters of chief information officers (CIOs) will not give computers, electronics or other technology gadgets as gifts this year.
The poll includes responses from more than 270 CIOs from a stratified
random sample of Canadian companies with 100 or more employees. It was
conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Robert Half
Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a
project and full-time basis.
CIOs were asked, "Do you plan to give technology-based products, such as
computers, electronics or technology gadgets, as gifts for the holidays?"
Their responses:
No................................. 76%
Yes................................ 16%
Don't know......................... 8%
------
100%
"IT managers may be experts on all things technology-related, but it
doesn't mean their personal or professional gift giving has to be limited to
electronics and technology gadgets," said Katherine Spencer Lee, executive
director of Robert Half Technology.
Lee pointed out that executives may prefer to give items to friends and
loved ones that are more personal. For office gifts, however, items that are
too personal might not be appropriate. She made the following recommendations
for gift giving in a professional setting:
- Err on the conservative side. If you question whether or not a gift is
appropriate, it probably isn't.
- Don't overdo it. A pricey present is typically unnecessary and may
make the recipient feel as if he or she must reciprocate.
- Make a charitable contribution. If you're at a loss for gift ideas,
consider a donation to a charitable organization in the recipient's
name.
- Don't rush. If you're running out of time for holiday shopping,
consider presenting a small New Year's gift, such as a calendar or
journal.
- Acknowledge the gift. When you're the recipient, always send a
thank-you note or other form of acknowledgement that shows you
appreciate the sender's thoughtfulness.
|
Public sector employment Third quarter 2006 (preliminary)
Public sector employment (comprising all levels of general government, universities, colleges, school boards, health and social service institutions and government business enterprises) fell 5.5% to 2.9 million in the third quarter, from 3.1 million in the second quarter of 2006.
The major contributor to the decrease was educational institutions, which saw a 19.7% reduction in the work force — mainly due to summer slowdowns. As well, federal government employment fell 4.7% as many temporary employees hired in the previous quarter (such as summer students and census workers) completed their employment mid-way through the July–September timeframe.
Compared to the same three months of 2005, public sector employment rose 1.5% in the third quarter. Within general government, the federal component posted the largest increase with more than 386,000 employees on payroll, up 4.3% from the same quarter of 2005. This increase was partly attributable to the employment of census employees, particularly during July and August. Provincial and territorial general government employment remained stable at approximately 359,000 employees. Local general government had an estimated 407,000 employees, up 3.6% from the same quarter of 2005.
In terms of distribution, the three levels of general government (federal, provincial/territorial and local) accounted for 39.3% of total public sector employment. Health and social service institutions accounted for 26.5%, educational institutions 25.2%, and government business enterprises 9.0%.
| Public sector employment1 |
| |
Second quarter 2005 |
Third quarter 2005 |
Second quarter 2006 |
Third quarter 2006 |
| |
thousands |
| Public sector |
3,015 |
2,886 |
3,102 |
2,930 |
| General government |
1,100 |
1,122 |
1,149 |
1,152 |
| Federal |
373 |
370 |
405 |
386 |
| Provincial and territorial |
350 |
357 |
351 |
359 |
| Local |
377 |
395 |
393 |
407 |
| Educational institutions |
898 |
729 |
918 |
737 |
| Universities and colleges2 |
304 |
282 |
315 |
287 |
| School boards |
593 |
447 |
603 |
450 |
| Health and social service institutions |
752 |
769 |
770 |
776 |
| Government business enterprises |
266 |
266 |
265 |
265 |
| 1. | Numbers may not add up due to rounding. |
| 2. | Includes vocational and trade institutions. |
|
|
Federal government employment in census metropolitan areas September 2006
There were approximately 377,700 federal government employees in September 2006, with three-quarters of them working in a metropolitan area. Across the country, federal government workers accounted for about 2.5% of the labour force employed within census metropolitan areas.
Of the total federal government employees across the country, 31.2% were within the Ottawa–Gatineau metropolitan area. This continues the upward trend from 25.7% in September 1990 when this series was first initiated.
On the other hand, the federal government represented 18.2% of total employment in the Ottawa–Gatineau area, down from the peak of 21.9% in September 1992.
Halifax had the second highest proportion of federal public servants at 8.0% of total employment as of September. Other proportions ranged from 5.5% in Kingston to 0.2% in Oshawa.
| Federal government employment |
| |
Canada |
Ottawa–Gatineau |
Proportion of federal government employment within Ottawa–Gatineau |
| |
thousands |
% |
| 1990 |
403.4 |
103.6 |
25.7 |
| 1991 |
408.7 |
104.7 |
25.6 |
| 1992 |
407.5 |
107.0 |
26.3 |
| 1993 |
398.1 |
105.4 |
26.5 |
| 1994 |
388.4 |
101.5 |
26.1 |
| 1995 |
361.6 |
96.3 |
26.6 |
| 1996 |
347.0 |
93.6 |
27.0 |
| 1997 |
334.1 |
90.6 |
27.1 |
| 1998 |
327.8 |
91.0 |
27.8 |
| 1999 |
327.4 |
93.8 |
28.7 |
| 2000 |
335.8 |
98.2 |
29.3 |
| 2001 |
349.2 |
103.7 |
29.7 |
| 2002 |
359.9 |
108.1 |
30.0 |
| 2003 |
365.5 |
112.3 |
30.7 |
| 2004 |
364.6 |
112.3 |
30.8 |
| 2005 |
369.3 |
113.8 |
30.8 |
| 2006 |
377.7 |
117.8 |
31.2 |
Note: Data for this release are based on the 2001 Standard Geographical Classification census metropolitan area definition. Data for smaller areas such as census agglomerations have not been developed due to the unavailability of detailed information. The term federal government presented in this release includes all organizations controlled by the federal government that are not-for-profit and perform non-commercial services on behalf of the government and its citizens. The count of federal government employees includes the Canadian military (regular forces and reservists), as well as uniformed Royal Canadian Mounted Police members. However, these statistics do not include employees of federal government business enterprises that operate as commercial corporations in the marketplace.
Caution should be used when comparing these federal government employment statistics to federal government public administration on the North American Industry Classification System basis, the latter being a sub-set of the former.
The Federal Government Employment and Payroll Program uses a census data collection approach, which means that all federal government entities are covered in the statistics. However, details by metropolitan area are not always available. To fulfill the numerous requests for regional information, imputation methods have been developed and complementary information has been collected in order to produce employment statistics for 2001 Census-defined metropolitan areas.
| Employment within census metropolitan areas, September 20061 |
| |
Total employment2 |
Federal government employment |
Federal government employment as a proportion of total employment |
| |
thousands |
% |
| Ottawa–Gatineau |
647.1 |
117.8 |
18.2 |
| Halifax |
204.8 |
16.3 |
8.0 |
| Kingston |
78.2 |
4.3 |
5.5 |
| Victoria |
176.2 |
8.8 |
5.0 |
| St. John's |
96.5 |
4.5 |
4.7 |
| Québec |
380.7 |
13.8 |
3.6 |
| Winnipeg |
386.6 |
12.5 |
3.2 |
| Regina |
112.6 |
3.1 |
2.8 |
| Greater Sudbury / Grand Sudbury |
78.6 |
2.1 |
2.7 |
| Saskatoon |
130.2 |
2.5 |
1.9 |
| Saint John |
60.7 |
1.1 |
1.8 |
| Abbotsford |
83.5 |
1.5 |
1.8 |
| Saguenay |
70.6 |
1.2 |
1.7 |
| Edmonton |
571.8 |
9.2 |
1.6 |
| Thunder Bay |
62.2 |
0.9 |
1.5 |
| Vancouver |
1,208.3 |
17.1 |
1.4 |
| Montreal |
1,889.0 |
25.7 |
1.4 |
| Sherbrooke |
82.9 |
1.1 |
1.3 |
| Windsor |
172.2 |
2.0 |
1.2 |
| Calgary |
664.3 |
6.6 |
1.0 |
| London |
244.9 |
2.4 |
1.0 |
| Toronto |
2,822.1 |
22.4 |
0.8 |
| Hamilton |
371.9 |
2.9 |
0.8 |
| Trois-Rivières |
67.0 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
| St. Catharines–Niagara |
200.2 |
1.1 |
0.5 |
| Kitchener |
249.5 |
1.0 |
0.4 |
| Oshawa |
178.2 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
| Total |
11,290.8 |
282.6 |
2.5 |
|
|
Payroll employment, earnings and hours September 2006 (preliminary)
The average weekly earnings of payroll employees for September was $749.69 (seasonally adjusted), down $0.69 (-0.1%) from August. This leaves the year-to-date growth in earnings at 3.1%. This annual rate of change is obtained by comparing the average weekly earnings of the first nine months of 2006 with the average of the same months of 2005.
In Canada's largest industrial sectors, year-to-date earnings growth as of September was 3.9% for health and social assistance, 3.8% for educational services, 3.0% for retail trade, and 2.5% for manufacturing.
There were 14,042,200 payroll jobs in Canada in September, an increase of 13,500 employees (+0.1%) from August. Provinces showing the largest percent increases in employment from August to September were British Columbia (+0.5%), Ontario (+0.3%), and Saskatchewan (+0.3%). The largest decrease was in New Brunswick (-0.8%).
Nationally, payroll employment has increased by approximately 170,000 jobs since the beginning of 2006.
The average hourly earnings for hourly paid employees edged down 0.3% in September to $18.47. The average weekly hours for hourly paid employees fell 0.6% to 31.8 hours
| Average weekly earnings (including overtime) for all employees |
| Industry group (North American Industry Classification System) |
September 2005 |
August 2006r |
September 2006p |
August to September 2006 |
September 2005 to September 2006 |
Year-to-date average 20061 |
| |
Seasonally adjusted |
| |
$ |
% change |
| Industrial aggregate |
737.24 |
750.38 |
749.69 |
-0.1 |
1.7 |
3.1 |
| Forestry, logging and support |
931.54 |
973.71 |
977.08 |
0.3 |
4.9 |
5.3 |
| Mining and oil and gas |
1,323.09 |
1,335.11 |
1,318.89 |
-1.2 |
-0.3 |
2.7 |
| Utilities |
1,071.72 |
1,093.39 |
1,089.40 |
-0.4 |
1.6 |
1.7 |
| Construction |
891.57 |
894.73 |
887.04 |
-0.9 |
-0.5 |
1.9 |
| Manufacturing |
900.56 |
905.80 |
909.86 |
0.4 |
1.0 |
2.5 |
| Wholesale trade |
843.28 |
879.78 |
882.67 |
0.3 |
4.7 |
5.3 |
| Retail trade |
469.90 |
481.37 |
480.64 |
-0.2 |
2.3 |
3.0 |
| Transportation and warehousing |
788.19 |
780.59 |
782.19 |
0.2 |
-0.8 |
1.3 |
| Information and cultural industries |
905.45 |
940.15 |
938.82 |
-0.1 |
3.7 |
6.5 |
| Finance and insurance |
952.50 |
963.74 |
968.04 |
0.4 |
1.6 |
2.6 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing |
653.57 |
682.99 |
693.14 |
1.5 |
6.1 |
4.2 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services |
964.33 |
975.59 |
982.79 |
0.7 |
1.9 |
0.9 |
| Management of companies and enterprises |
906.44 |
943.23 |
956.10 |
1.4 |
5.5 |
5.8 |
| Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services |
578.40 |
600.19 |
603.14 |
0.5 |
4.3 |
2.9 |
| Educational services |
815.58 |
816.39 |
821.25 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
3.8 |
| Health care and social assistance |
670.02 |
676.09 |
671.29 |
-0.7 |
0.2 |
3.9 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation |
428.34 |
427.53 |
428.96 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
2.2 |
| Accommodation and food services |
321.77 |
319.60 |
317.11 |
-0.8 |
-1.4 |
6.1 |
| Other services (excluding public administration) |
566.73 |
587.44 |
592.53 |
0.9 |
4.6 |
2.5 |
| Public administration |
903.46 |
946.68 |
954.99 |
0.9 |
5.7 |
3.7 |
| Provinces and territories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
675.69 |
688.52 |
696.99 |
1.2 |
3.2 |
4.5 |
| Prince Edward Island |
577.54 |
589.42 |
591.93 |
0.4 |
2.5 |
3.2 |
| Nova Scotia |
644.36 |
656.12 |
656.25 |
0.0 |
1.8 |
2.5 |
| New Brunswick |
672.63 |
682.41 |
689.44 |
1.0 |
2.5 |
3.7 |
| Quebec |
701.74 |
715.24 |
704.87 |
-1.4 |
0.4 |
2.6 |
| Ontario |
777.88 |
785.71 |
786.98 |
0.2 |
1.2 |
2.6 |
| Manitoba |
661.86 |
675.95 |
685.50 |
1.4 |
3.6 |
2.0 |
| Saskatchewan |
675.08 |
691.90 |
695.68 |
0.5 |
3.1 |
4.0 |
| Alberta |
777.64 |
806.07 |
812.30 |
0.8 |
4.5 |
4.7 |
| British Columbia |
727.68 |
736.17 |
741.97 |
0.8 |
2.0 |
4.1 |
| Yukon |
826.67 |
842.45 |
843.57 |
0.1 |
2.0 |
4.8 |
| Northwest Territories2 |
988.58 |
964.41 |
973.08 |
0.9 |
-1.6 |
2.2 |
| Nunavut2 |
890.24 |
904.96 |
899.88 |
-0.6 |
1.1 |
3.7 |
| r | revised |
| p | preliminary |
| 1. | Rate of change for the first nine months of 2006 compared to the same months for 2005. |
| 2. | Data not seasonally adjusted. |
|
| Number of employees |
| Industry group (North American Industry Classification System) |
December 2005 |
July 2006 |
August 2006r |
September 2006p |
July to August 2006 |
August to September 2006 |
December 2005 to September 2006 |
| |
Seasonally adjusted |
| |
thousands |
% change |
| Industrial aggregate |
13,872.3 |
14,022.6 |
14,028.7 |
14,042.2 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
1.2 |
| Forestry, logging and support |
63.3 |
59.6 |
58.9 |
58.5 |
-1.2 |
-0.7 |
-7.6 |
| Mining and oil and gas |
172.4 |
183.0 |
184.8 |
186.8 |
1.0 |
1.1 |
8.4 |
| Utilities |
121.5 |
122.5 |
123.2 |
122.6 |
0.6 |
-0.5 |
0.9 |
| Construction |
690.7 |
704.5 |
710.5 |
712.8 |
0.9 |
0.3 |
3.2 |
| Manufacturing |
1,948.4 |
1,930.2 |
1,932.4 |
1,924.1 |
0.1 |
-0.4 |
-1.2 |
| Wholesale trade |
736.7 |
743.6 |
743.8 |
742.3 |
0.0 |
-0.2 |
0.8 |
| Retail trade |
1,717.4 |
1,731.6 |
1,738.4 |
1,740.7 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
1.4 |
| Transportation and warehousing |
627.5 |
636.9 |
634.8 |
633.9 |
-0.3 |
-0.1 |
1.0 |
| Information and cultural industries |
355.4 |
358.8 |
360.9 |
359.1 |
0.6 |
-0.5 |
1.0 |
| Finance and insurance |
588.2 |
589.6 |
590.1 |
592.2 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing |
246.2 |
246.6 |
243.8 |
244.5 |
-1.1 |
0.3 |
-0.7 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services |
670.6 |
677.3 |
677.9 |
681.3 |
0.1 |
0.5 |
1.6 |
| Management of companies and enterprises |
96.5 |
100.0 |
101.5 |
96.0 |
1.5 |
-5.4 |
-0.5 |
| Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services |
681.8 |
704.1 |
705.8 |
707.9 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
3.8 |
| Educational services |
1,004.5 |
1,015.6 |
1,015.0 |
1,020.4 |
-0.1 |
0.5 |
1.6 |
| Health care and social assistance |
1,425.0 |
1,436.8 |
1,439.2 |
1,442.9 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
1.3 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation |
247.6 |
248.2 |
247.3 |
248.4 |
-0.4 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
| Accommodation and food services |
960.3 |
970.3 |
969.6 |
977.0 |
-0.1 |
0.8 |
1.7 |
| Other services (excluding public administration) |
515.4 |
520.0 |
519.0 |
522.3 |
-0.2 |
0.6 |
1.3 |
| Public administration |
791.0 |
816.4 |
803.8 |
797.5 |
-1.5 |
-0.8 |
0.8 |
| Provinces and territories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
177.5 |
185.0 |
184.8 |
184.3 |
-0.1 |
-0.3 |
3.8 |
| Prince Edward Island |
64.3 |
62.1 |
62.1 |
62.2 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
-3.3 |
| Nova Scotia |
395.5 |
394.1 |
393.1 |
393.2 |
-0.3 |
0.0 |
-0.6 |
| New Brunswick |
302.2 |
303.8 |
306.1 |
303.7 |
0.8 |
-0.8 |
0.5 |
| Quebec |
3,213.6 |
3,235.7 |
3,239.0 |
3,232.7 |
0.1 |
-0.2 |
0.6 |
| Ontario |
5,389.3 |
5,416.9 |
5,413.0 |
5,428.5 |
-0.1 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
| Manitoba |
538.2 |
534.5 |
534.9 |
535.7 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
-0.5 |
| Saskatchewan |
419.2 |
421.9 |
422.1 |
423.4 |
0.0 |
0.3 |
1.0 |
| |
