BC’s social services sector has long experienced challenges with attracting and keeping staff. The sector is competing for workers in a tough labour market and the added complexity, skill, and personal connection required in this line of work only adds further challenges.

In 2018, The Federation of Community Social Services of BC (The Federation) began work (in partnership with SPARC BC and CSSEA) on an in-depth research study and analysis of BC’s community social services sector labour market. In February 2021, The Federation received approval and permission to release the Final Report of the Social Services Labour Market Research Project and the project’s Aggregated Data publicly.

This report highlights and explains the recruitment and retention challenges facing BC’s community social services sector. It discusses those issues and presents solutions that involve all of the various stakeholders within the sector—the community social services organizations themselves, government funders, post-secondary institutions, unions, as well as foundations and other funding bodies.

Key Findings

  • Most Strategic Leaders (over 75%) reported that the level of difficulty in recruiting paid employees was either higher or much higher than it was three years ago.
  • Over two-thirds (69%) of Strategic Leaders Survey respondents said the level of difficulty retaining paid employees was either higher or much higher than it was three years ago.
  • When asked to identify the top three challenges facing them in their current position, Frontline Workers Survey respondents identified stress (70%), low pay (61%), and workload (49%).
  • The large majority of Frontline Workers Survey respondents (81%) reported that the best way to encourage them to stay longer in their current position would be better pay.
  • Nearly two-thirds (64%) of those who responded to the Frontline Workers Survey either strongly agreed or agreed that they need more education and training to advance their career in the community social services sector.