49% Seriously Considering Quitting Job
With the benefits of working from home now crushed for most workers, many people are working longer hours and unable to compartmentalize their work and home lives.
Consequently, many people are on-call and on-line 24/7. As I've written previously, companies have learned that work-from-home staff suddenly have an extra 1-2hrs a day to work (because they no longer have to commute). Furthermore, many employers believe staff will do anything to keep their jobs in an uncertain economy, and are therefore piling on the work. Many of these same companies have reduced headcount and are unwilling to pay for the resources necessary to take on the extra workload.
Every single private sector office worker I know is putting in much longer hours than before the pandemic started. Moreover, with the comingling of home and the office, many are unable to separate themselves from their work. This is consequently creating tons of stress for the average worker.
Meanwhile, as year-end approaches most workers are being 'prepped' for a shitty bonus and meaningless salary increase. After all, the way many employers currently view it these people are lucky to have a job.
It might come as a shock when workers start to voluntarily quit in this economy. Unfortunately, that's where we are likely headed.
New research by Hays finds that 49% of Canadian employees are seriously considering leaving their jobs, a nine percentage point jump from last year. That number for Ontario: 52%!
According to Travis O’Rourke, president of Hays Canada:
“Canadian employers are navigating difficult headwinds but the growing number of employees who want to leave their role, even in the face of a tentative job market, is a big problem. COVID-19 has left everyone exhausted and while many businesses are improving, staff are waving a white flag. Employees expect a company to have their best interests at heart and we’re now seeing evidence that unsupported teams look for better opportunities. Once we turn a corner on the pandemic or see more signs of job market strength, those employees are gone.”
Canadians are overworked, stressed and see little help coming their way from their current employers. Indeed, only 64% of employees are positive about their well-being, down from 81% early in the year. At the same time, 54% of employers admit they have done nothing to support employee wellness or mental health.
I'm already seeing more people being easily lured away by attractive competitor offers. It appears that people are losing hope that their career will grow at their current place of employment.
Additional Hays 2021 Salary Guide highlights
Where is employment optimism highest? ON (77%), QC (77%), BC (74%). AB trails at 50 per cent
How about raises? 46% of AB employers plan no salary increases, followed by QC (33%), ON and BC are tied at 23 per cent
Where are employees most ready to leave? QC (54%), ON (52%), AB (48%), BC (41%)
What do employees want from a new role? Benefits (53%), career development (44%), work-life balance (40%)
What’s affecting people’s well-being? Lack of social interaction (45%), isolation (27%), increased workload (25%)
What about hiring plans? Over the past 12 months 35 per cent of employers decreased permanent staff. Looking ahead, 36 per cent plan to add headcount