Entrepreneurs in Canada and around the world are optimistic about the year ahead, with more than half expecting to grow their workforce in 2013, Ernst & Young finds in its latest global survey.
Ernst & Young’s Global Job Creation report shows this anticipated growth comes on the heels of a similar trend in 2012, when 74% of respondents said they increased headcount.
Eight-eight percent of survey respondents across a wide number of industries agreed that innovation was the one genuine differentiator and advantage they have over the competition. That number was slightly higher (90%) among Canadian respondents. Seventy-four percent said innovation is the reason behind their growth in the last year.
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Despite all the bullish news, entrepreneurs said they were in desperate need of attracting the right individuals to fill those anticipated positions as they continue to grow. The vast majority — including 61% of Canadian respondents — put specific industry and knowledge skills at the top of their wish list for future hires. They cited less interest in candidates with narrow, functional backgrounds such as engineering, finance and human resources.