Recruiting and retaining staff is a challenge for Ottawa’s commercial property industry, according to a new survey conducted by the Building Owners and Managers Association and recruiting firm Hays.
While 57 per cent of survey respondents in Ottawa said they are recruiting, only 40 per cent are increasing their staff. This suggests that many firms are hiring simply to fill vacant positions.
Almost one-quarter of survey respondents in Ottawa said attrition increased over the past year. Better salaries and benefits in the public sector and career advancement opportunities are pushing employees to leave jobs, the survey found.
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The survey also found that “due to a lack of awareness of the industry, new candidates are simply not entering into the market.” It recommended that Ottawa’s commercial property managers and owners develop co-op programs with local schools.
The survey also looked at wages in the industry.
For many positions, wages in Ottawa were lower than in other regions. The exceptions were director of operations, senior operations manager and security-related positions, where wages in Ottawa were at the higher end.
