'It comes down to the employee experience – from the way people get paid, to the benefits and growth opportunities'
Many Canadian workers have not had a great employment experience lately, and this has them thinking about jumping ship.
Specifically, 84 per cent have experienced burnout, with 34 per cent reporting high or extreme levels, according to a Ceridian survey.
As a result, 21 per cent are looking for a new job, with another 39 per cent saying they’d consider leaving for the right opportunity.
“The relationship between employer and employee has fundamentally changed over the course of the pandemic, creating a reset in expectations as employee needs rapidly evolve,” says Steve Knox, vice president of global talent acquisition at Ceridian.
“It comes down to the employee experience – from the way people get paid, to the benefits and growth opportunities that are made available to them. The organizations that solve for these factors first will be the employers of choice moving forward.”
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, eight per cent of people chose to resign from their job, and 18 per cent did so because of increased stress, according to a previous report from LifeWorks.
Workload, insufficient compensation
The top three catalysts for burnout among Canadians are increased workloads, insufficient compensation and mental health challenges, according to the report.
Nearly half (45 per cent) of those who are looking for new employment say it is because they want better compensation, including higher salary and benefits. Meanwhile, 38 per cent cite a lack of growth opportunities, finds the survey of 1,304 employed Canadians.
“In the current climate, retaining top talent is imperative. Employers need to focus on empowering their people by embedding value at every touchpoint. This means leveraging technology to deliver programs that support wellness, skill development, and the benefits that employees want and need most,” says Knox.
Employers are not meeting all the benefits needs of employees, according to a recent report from the Conference Board of Canada and TELUS Health.
Helping employees
Here are some ways that employers can help address employee burnout, according to the Forbes Human Resources Council:
- Prioritize consistent employee communication.
- Award well-being role models each quarter.
- Encourage employees to take vacation time.
- Train employees to be mindful of messaging.
- Allow employees to have flexible hours.
- Offer mental and physical health benefits.
Sixty-two per cent of Canadian workers say emotional, mental and physical fatigue is the top issue that is affecting them negatively. However, 37 per cent feel unsafe to talk about mental health at work, according to a report from Sun Life.
