News in Brief

Employees not comfortable asking for raises: Survey

› MENLO PARK, Calif — Employees in the United States say they would feel more confident doing public speaking than asking for a raise, a new survey finds.

The study, conducted by staffing firm Robert Half, found that while 57 per cent of those surveyed admitted to feeling self-assured when doing public speaking, only 49 per cent said they are confident when asking for a pay increase.

The company said the results come from an independent research firm’s survey of more than 1,000 employees working full-time in offices in the U.S.

The survey stated that discomfort around asking for a raise was also reflected in the percentage of respondents who — rather than request more money — would prefer to clean their house (36 per cent), look for a new job (14 per cent), get a root canal (five per cent), or be audited by the Internal Revenue Service (four per cent).

However, being uncomfortable talking about money with the boss can be costly over the long term, said Paul McDonald, senior executive director at Robert Half.

“People who are hesitant to talk about compensation may reduce their earning power — not just in their current role but also with future employers,” he said.

“Do your homework on current salary levels. If you’re underpaid, role-play the salary conversation with a trusted mentor before scheduling time to meet with your manager,” said McDonald.

Despite the unease, the survey found that 44 per cent of respondents said they plan to ask for a raise this year, with the primary reason being that their salary has not grown with their job duties.

Twenty-four per cent who plan to ask for a pay hike said they needed the extra money to cover basic needs. Twenty-three per cent said they would look for a new job if their employer turned down their request.

The survey also found that employees feel good about their employer’s outlook and their own job opportunities.

Seventy-nine per cent of respondents said they were confident in their employer’s stability and 63 per cent said they felt confident about their job prospects.

They survey also found that while 32 per cent of workers say they have never checked their salaries against the going market rates for their positions, the number is lower than last year when it was 41 per cent.

Saskatchewan PST now applies to insurance premiums

› REGINA — Beginning this month, Saskatchewan’s provincial sales tax (PST) applies to insurance premiums.

In the province’s March 22 budget, Finance Minister Kevin Doherty said the government would begin charging PST on insurance premiums — including those for life, accident and health insurance — on July 1 for premiums due on or after that date, regardless of when the insurance policy was issued.

In May, however, Doherty went on to announce that the government was moving the in-force date to August 1 to give the insurance industry more time to implement the change.

Beginning this month, the PST now applies to insurance premiums due or after that date.

In March, the government also raised the PST rate from five per cent to six.

Long-service rewards may not appeal to millennials: Survey

› OTTAWA — Long-service recognition rewards may not appeal to younger workers who typically do not stay with their employers for long periods, a new survey says.

The study, by the Conference Board of Canada, found that long service was the most prevalent type of rewards and recognition program in Canadian organizations. Almost 90 per cent of survey respondents said they had some type of formal rewards and recognition program, with 96 per cent citing a long-service recognition program.

However, the study found that only 37 per cent of respondents agreed that their rewards programs consider the multiple generations in the workforce.

The Board said its previous research has indicated that millennials could have an average of five different employers over a 10-year span, making them ineligible for most long-service recognition programs.

“The majority of organizations use their rewards and recognition programs to increase employee engagement. If this is the primary objective of the program, it is important to look at what drives engagement,” said Nicole Stewart, a principal with the Compensation Research Centre at the board.

“There also appears to be a disconnect between where organizations are allocating the bulk of their recognition budgets and what might bring them the best value in terms of employee satisfaction.”

In 2016, Canadian organizations spent, on average, $139 per full-time employee (FTE) on rewards and recognition, the board said. While the programs are more prevalent in the public sector than the private sector, the board said that spending on rewards and recognition in the private sector is almost double that in the public sector ($161 per FTE versus $84).

Other common rewards and recognition initiatives reported include retirement recognition and performance-based rewards, such as manager-to-employee, peer-to-peer and corporate recognition. The most common peer-to-peer rewards were non-monetary, such as e-cards and handwritten notes.

While long-service recognition is perceived as fair and important for honouring corporate memory and loyalty, the study found that one of its major drawbacks is that it becomes difficult to attach to specific accomplishments or contributions when they occur.

On average, organizations spend over half of their recognition budgets on long service, the study stated; however, employers with performance-based recognition reported that their employees are more satisfied with their programs.

“Recognition of outstanding effort and achievement does not need to be costly and programs can be tailored to suit a changing workforce landscape. In fact, many organizations have found that they receive the most value from their peer-to-peer programs because of both the low cost and reach,” said Stewart.

The findings are based on a survey of HR practitioners from 383 organizations across Canada last summer.

Nova Scotia WCB expands online services

› HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) has expanded its online services for employers, workers, and service providers.

For employers, the board has added new features to its MyAccount service, which gives registered employers 24/7 access to their account and claims information.

The service now includes a secure messaging feature that the board says will enable employers to “securely exchange information and documents” with the board on matters such as claims and return-to-work plans.

The service now also provides email notifications to employers with access to claims information about changes in the status of a worker’s claim or of a change in case workers.

The WCB says the online service changes will help reduce time and improve processes.