The truth about what employees want 

It’s no secret that employees have more choice than ever – and so it’s more essential than ever to understand what they want, so you can deliver. We surveyed 1,000 Canadian workers to understand what keeps them up at night. Here’s what employers need to know to navigate workforce changes in 2022, from the great reckoning to the great reboot and great retirement.

What’s top of mind for employees?

Employers can better understand their workforce by knowing workers’ top concerns – both inside and outside of work. Personal concerns – like physical health and work-life balance – now trump the professional.
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The overall unmet needs analysis results according to the Inside Employees’ Minds study are:

Physical health & fitness (12.7%), followed by work load / life balance (11.4%), then being able to retire (9.9%), then mental / emotional health (9.7%), then pace of life / free time and personal fulfillment & purpose (both at 8.3%), followed by personal relationships (6.6%), then both personal safety and covering monthly expenses (5.5%), followed by personal debt (5.2%), then job security (4.9%), then boss / manager (2.8%), then career advancement / development (2.6%), then both child care / elder care and work commute (2.4%) and lastly tuition / education (1.7%).

The great reckoning

Many workers are simply asking themselves, “is this job worth it?” Most Canadians are not seriously considering leaving their current companies – But the percentage who are, has increased compared to pre-pandemic, which indicates more workers are on the hunt for new positions.

At the present time, I am not seriously considering leaving my company

63%

agree

19%

neutral

18%

disagree

What’s driving employees to potentially leave their current workplaces? Finances are top-of-mind, followed by burn out. 

Factors for considering leaving

Of the factors listed below, please choose up to 3 that would most cause you to consider leaving your current employer:
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Employees were asked the factors that would cause them to leave the current employer with the following results:

  • My pay is insufficient (according to 46% of overall employees; 56% of low income earners and 42% of high income earners choosing as the top reason)
  • I feel burnt out due to a demanding workload (according to 39% of overall employees, low income earners and high income earners)
  • I am ready to stop working (according to 39% of overall employees; 38% of low income earners and 39% of high income earners citing as a factor)
  • My relationships with my boss / colleagues are stressful (according to 29% of overall employees; 27% of low income earners and 28% of high income earners citing as a cause)
  • Lack of flexibility / requirements to be on-site (according to 24% of overall employees; 22% of low income earners and 24% of high income earners citing as an influence)
  • Looking for career change (according to 23% of overall employees; 18% of low income earners and 25% of high income earners citing as a consideration)
  • Not able to learn new skills / advance my career (according to 15% of overall employees; 12% of low income earners and 17% of high income earners citing as an aspect)
  • Caregiver responsibilities at home (according to 15% of overall employees; 16% of low income earners and 15% of high income earners citing as a factor)

Source: Inside Employees’ Minds study

The employment deal has also changed. Flexibility and support for wellness are no longer considered perks – they’re non-negotiable for many workers. For employers, that means the deal they have with their employees needs to evolve to more of a “lifestyle contract” that fosters their personal well-being.

  • Loyalty contract (20th Century)

    • Basic needs: pay, benifits, security
    • Retention
    • Pay  and benefits in exchange for commitment

  • Engagement contract (pre-pandemic)

    • Psychological needs: achievement, camaraderie, equity
    • Contribution
    • Intrinsic rewards in exchange for effort    

  • Lifestyle contact (The new chapter)

    • Well-being needs: physical, mental, emotional, financial
    • Sustainability
    • Healthy experiences in exchange for sustainble  performance

The great retirement

The ability to retire is a concern for Canadians, especially lower-wage earners.

Along with those employees who are rightfully concerned, new talent and generations just entering the workforce may also see retirement as an unattainable goal. This reinforces need to provide financial wellness and flexible planning options to the workforce.

    • 13.7% Low-income
    • 8.4% High income

The great reboot

As seen above, employees are prioritizing wellness more, and expect their employers to do the same. It’s not a surprise, given employees are grappling with ongoing physical and mental health issues that stemmed from the pandemic.
1 in 5

of the Canadians surveyed said they tend to eat more when they feel worried about the pandemic.1

1 in 4

Canadian workers reported experiencing depression, anxiety, or another mental health issue.2

1 in 2

Canadian women report experiencing a mental health issue.2

1. Dalhouise University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, April 2021
2. Mercer Canada Health on Demand, 2021

Remember that your workforce is diverse. What they want will differ and evolve. So, keep listening and keep learning – because your employees are counting on it.

*The survey was conducted via conjoint analysis, meaning that employees had to make trade-offs between their top concerns and least concerns.
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