Size Matters
Canada’s sign industry is very much a community of small businesses, with 62 per cent of respondents (down only slightly from 68 per cent last year) representing companies of one to 10 employees. Size of staff does not directly relate to productivity, however, given 12 per cent of this year’s participants reported annual revenues of $10 million or higher, compared to only three per cent last year.
Shifting Roles
Notably, more sign shop owners took part in this year’s survey (43 per cent, compared to 37 per cent in 2015) and a few more self-identified as signmakers (six per cent versus four per cent). Interestingly, however, those who supervise other employees remained steady at 70 per cent
(69 per cent last year), which suggests many non-owners are also now in management roles.
On the Payroll
The vast majority of jobs in the Canadian sign industry are still full-time (92 per cent this year, 95 per cent last year), contrary to shifts elsewhere in the economy. Weekly hours also remain fairly steady. Hourly wages have become noticeably rarer (18 per cent this year, 30 per cent last), with ever more employees salaried instead. And happily for them, more of their salaries topped $50,000 this year than last (a combined 63 per cent, compared to 52 per cent in 2015).
The reporting of company benefits was mostly similar to last year, other than a decrease in professional memberships (12 per cent versus 22 per cent).
Satisfaction, We Gotta Have It
One notably positive trend this year was a rise in job satisfaction (see sample comments). In 2015, 70 per cent of respondents were equally or more satisfied with their jobs than in the past. This year, that proportion grew to 80 per cent, close to the 82 per cent of 2014, although there was no corresponding change in future plans.
