Canadian bosses weathered the storm well for their teams during the pandemic, but despite that, almost half of employees surveyed will be seeking new jobs this year. That’s according to a brand-new study by Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Canada (CPHR Canada), Canada’s leading HR industry organization.
The national poll, conducted by Research Co., found that more than 80% of employees were happy with the way their employer handled the COVID-19 pandemic in the workplace, but 49% of them say they are still likely to be seeking new employment in the next 12 months. From those who will stay where they are, more than 60% will be asking their manager for a raise.
“This study shows that Canada is not immune to “The Great Resignation” we’ve been hearing so much about in a post-pandemic world,” said Anthony Ariganello, CEO of CPHR Canada. “Canadian employers should be aware that even if they think their teams have stabilized, there’s a good chance they will continue to lose people for a while yet, and that makes it important for managers to stay connected with their staff and to make supportive, knowledgeable HR a priority.”
One of the biggest changes to the modern workplace after COVID, is the Work from Home model. In the CPHR Canada study, more than two thirds of respondents said they were likely to seek a different job if their current company does not allow them to work from home as often as they would like.
More than a third of workers expect to be allowed to work from home once or twice a week, and about a quarter said they would expect to be able to WFH three or four times a week. 12% of those surveyed said they don’t expect to work from home at all.
Said Ariganello, “Companies that could, did a pretty good job integrating a Work from Home model into their day-to-day business. But many saw it as a short-term solution, and that’s not what a lot of employees want. Now the challenge is making Work from Home a more sustainable option for their teams, because as we can see from this study, if they don’t, they face losing more people.” He continued: “Moving forward, whether or not you integrate working from home into your business model, could mean the difference between someone wanting to take the job you’re offering them, or going with someone else who will give them that more flexible option.
This “study” is ridiculous, generalizing that bosses handles the pandemic well? How about pay your employees better, benefits, job security, child care? Or are those luxuries only afforded to these amazing bosses?