National Post ePaper

Work-life balance tops incentives

LINDA WHITE

For one in three working Canadians, work-life balance plays a more important role than before the pandemic – outweighing salary and benefits, which historically top the list of incentives for current and prospective employees.

A new study by ADP Canada and Maru Public Opinion also found the pandemic has impacted how working Canadians feel about their industry or current position, with 15 per cent voluntarily transitioning to a new position or industry or leaving the workforce altogether during the pandemic. When looking at just remote workers, that number grew to 22 per cent.

The top three reasons for switching career paths were changes in their personal lives, the need to limit workload and stress, and the desire for more flexible hours. Canadians aged 18 to 34 were the most likely to transition to a new industry during the pandemic at 13 per cent, compared to just three per cent of those aged 35 to 54.

Employment rises

Employment rose by 90,000 (+0.5 per cent) in August, the third consecutive monthly increase, Statistics Canada reports. The unemployment rate fell 0.4 percentage points to 7.1 per cent.

Employment gains were concentrated in full-time work (+69,000; +0.4 per cent). Increases were mainly seen in services-producing industries, led by accommodation and food services. The employment rate was 60.5 per cent in August, 1.3 percentage points below the prepandemic rate.

“The existing labour shortage has not only made employee search more difficult but has also driven employers to downskill requirements in job postings,” says Tanya Gullison, Chief Revenue

Officer of LHH, which provides career transition, coaching and leadership development. “Employers are now willing to offer more benefits and training options to attract talent and hire applicants who may not meet all qualifications.”

CAREERS

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2021-09-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

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