Friday, March 29

Posthaste: Canadian employees prioritize flexible work over career progression


Canadians say flexibility is the most important action their employer has taken to support their mental health: survey

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Good morning!

Working Canadians are prioritizing flexible work over career progression, a new survey by LifeWorks Inc. found.

Over half (55 per cent) of employees reported that flexible or hybrid work is most important to them, compared with only a quarter (24 per cent) who said that career progression takes precedence.

“The pandemic has created a lot of change in our lives, which has resulted in Canadians shifting their priorities,” Stephen Liptrap, LifeWorks president and CEO, said in a press release. “Many employees are now placing more importance on workplace flexibility — when , where, and how they work — rather than career progression, which often includes compensation, promotions and professional development.”

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Thirty-three per cent of workers said flexibility is the most important action their employer has taken to support their mental health.

Yet, executives and working parents continue to place emphasis on career growth. The survey found that managers are 80 per cent more likely, and parents are 50 per cent more likely, to favour career progression over job flexibility.

“As more organizations return to the office, it is important for employers to find new ways of supporting employees in this new environment,” said Liptrap.

More than one-third (36 per cent) of those working from home reported having no challenges working remotely. Still, some reported feeling lonely (18 per cent) or forgotten (13 per cent) most of the time.

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“With so many working Canadians still feeling the isolation and other mental health effects of working from home, more employers are paying attention to how connected their workforce feels to their organizations,” Paula Allen, global leader and senior vice-president of research and total wellbeing at LifeWorks, said in the press release.

In comparison, nearly two in five (39 per cent) of those working at the job site said they are not facing challenges. But one in five (19 per cent) indicated that the greatest obstacle is that people are more difficult to deal with or less friendly in-person.

“Increased interpersonal tension is a bi-product of long-term strain. This has been particularly difficult for those dealing with a public that is on edge,” said Allen.

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More than one-third (36 per cent) of employees said they believe their career opportunities would be limited if they were to work from home, while nearly two in five (38 per cent) disagreed.

The top reason for staying with their employer for nearly half (48 per cent) the workers was liking the work they do. This was followed by the benefits and services offered for their health and well-being (34 per cent), being well paid (33 per cent), and feeling valued (21 per cent).

LifeWorks also explored what it takes to create a sense of belonging, which correlates with productivity. Rrecognition or appreciation (16 per cent), relationships with co-workers or colleagues (14 per cent), and salary or money (five per cent) ranked highest in the survey.

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“Our research has shown that there’s a high correlation between the levels of belonging and productivity,” said Allen. “This becomes especially important when we observe how much our mental health benefits from our relationships with colleagues and general interactions.”

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RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: Police block Red Square ahead of a planned unsanctioned protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in central Moscow. Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Feb. 24, defying Western outrage and global appeals not to launch a war. President Vladimir Putin shrugged off a barrage of sanctions imposed by the US and Europe and pressed deeper with the invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, as Russian forces closed on the capital and its embattled leadership. Photo by Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images

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  • Harjit Sajjan, minister of international development and minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, will travel to New York City to participate in the Galvanizing Momentum for Universal Vaccination debate
  • Today’s Data: Ottawa’s fiscal monitor, capital expenditures survey; US durable goods orders, PCE price deflator, University of Michigan consumer sentiment index, pending home sales
  • Earnings: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, National Bank of Canada, Canadian Western Bank, Onex, Hydro One. Centerra Gold, Fiera Capital, Trevali Mining, Galting Exploration
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The economic knock-on effects of the Russia/Ukraine conflict are big, given the European Union commands the largest chunk of global GDP. At minimum, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine halts economic recovery in Europe, and the energy shock risks a recession. From an investing standpoint, the escalation has added complications in terms of the pandemic and still-strained global supply chains at a time when risk-on markets were already under significant stress, writes David Rosenberg.

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Today’s Posthaste was written by Noella Ovid, with additional reporting from The Canadian Press, Thomson Reuters and Bloomberg.

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