As pandemic restrictions wane, labour shortage persists for B.C. businesses

May 4, 2022

Sunrise Kitchens needs a handful of new staff members, but like other B.C. businesses wading through a labour shortage, for the past few months, it has had trouble finding them.

“Definitely I haven’t seen a market like this that’s just so not stable,” said Amrita Bhogal, human resources manager for the Surrey-based kitchen cabinet manufacturer.

“We hire people and sometimes they don’t even show up to their first day of work.”

The family-run company has between 140 and 150 regular employees, but unlike larger companies, it can’t afford to offer lucrative hiring bonuses or other costly incentives. Instead, Boghal said the business focuses on a positive, family working environment, and opportunities for training and career advancement that come with increases.

According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), as of December last year, 59 per cent of small businesses in B.C. were experiencing a labour shortage — the fourth-highest rate in Canada.

The gap has a KFC in Nanaimo offering a $500 sign-on bonus, and help for new hires who need work visas or want permanent residency. The Super Save Group has also offered a $10,000 signing bonus for long haul truck drivers willing to make trips to Kamloops and Langley.

In October last year, a Vancouver restaurant made headlines for offering a $50,000-salary for a new dishwasher.

Source: Globe News