Are online platforms destroying networking?

Canadian employers may not be getting the best out of their workers’ networking experience these days, based on the findings of a recent survey.

That’s because 70 per cent of Canadian hiring managers and 76 per cent of job seekers say networking today feels more like a business transaction than a genuine personal connection, reports Express Employment Professionals.

In addition, 64 per cent of hiring managers and 69 per cent of job seekers view networking primarily as a way to identify job opportunities, rather than as a means of building relationships over time.

Express says the results “reveal a widening gap,” as both sides increasingly approach interactions with a short-term, opportunity-first mindset.

Employer-led networking, when done right, can be a powerful tool to recruit women, according to researchers from McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management.

How is technology eroding networking’s value?

Online networking platforms are a major driver of the shift, according to Express’s report, which was based on two surveys of 504 Canadian hiring decision-makers and 502 Canadian adults in November 2025.

The survey shows that 76 per cent of job seekers and 78 per cent of hiring managers believe these platforms have made interactions more transactional.

While 38 per cent of hiring managers say online platforms make authentic connections easier, most still acknowledge that digital interactions often feel impersonal and opportunistic. Express notes that many professionals experience technology-enabled networking as efficient but emotionally shallow, with connection requests and outreach frequently framed around immediate gain.

The research further shows that 78 per cent of job seekers find it difficult to form authentic relationships in environments where the goal feels transactional from the outset. This sentiment underscores growing discomfort with networking settings – both online and in person – where the primary perceived objective is access to jobs, influence or resources.

Hiring managers’ behaviour appears to reflect this dynamic. Express reports that 70 per cent of hiring managers now evaluate networking contacts based strictly on their influence or usefulness, reinforcing what the company describes as a clear “What can you do for me?” energy in professional interactions.

Newcomers to Canada, in particular, are having a hard time networking – and that means lost opportunities for employers, one expert previously told Canadian HR Reporter.

The high importance of networking

Despite mounting concern about the quality of connections, both employers and candidates continue to see networking as critical in the hiring process. The survey shows that 86 per cent of hiring managers and 82 per cent of job seekers agree that networking is essential for getting a foot in the door.

At the same time, 80 per cent of hiring managers agree that authentic relationships are difficult to build when networking feels transactional, highlighting a tension between the perceived necessity of networking and dissatisfaction with how it is practised.

“The most valuable connections in our professional lives come from showing up with authenticity and a genuine interest in others,” says Bob Funk Jr., CEO, President and Chairman of Express Employment International. “When we approach conversations with openness rather than expectation, we create the foundation for relationships that grow over time.”

Funk adds that while technology can facilitate introductions, it does not determine the quality of the relationship that follows. “Technology can help us meet, but it’s our human commitment to listen, engage and invest in people that gives those connections lasting worth,” he says.

Express summarises the underlying disconnect by noting that “people want opportunity, but they don’t want to feel like a commodity,” a dynamic that may influence how candidates engage with recruiters, hiring managers and employer brands.

How can employers create good networking opportunities for workers?

One way for employers to encourage workers to network and get the most out of those efforts is by engaging business leaders in the practice, Tyler Orr, an HR professional-turned-career adviser, shares on HR management firm Eddy’s website.

“If you really want your employees to understand and adopt internal networking practices and to recognize your support for those efforts, make sure your leaders and other influential, well-known employees are both talking about it and setting the standard through their actions.

“Ensure that they are having frequent conversations with other leaders and employees across the organization, invite them to share their stories at company meetings and events, and get them on board with talking regularly to their direct reports and peers about internal networking. If employees see their leaders with their heads down in their work 100 per cent of the time or do not hear them actively encouraging networking, they are unlikely to feel that the company is serious about empowering them to take time to build relationships outside of their immediate teams.”

Internal networking key in employee retention, according to a previous report.