HIRING NEWS & TRENDS
Leaders Face Balancing Act Between Culture, Efficiency, and Agility
Insights
A recent survey by Dayforce, a human resource software and service provider, found that 74% of Canadians said they have or would turn down an opportunity because the culture didn’t feel like a right fit.
- 51% of Canadians said they feel proud of where they work
- 42% of Canadians said AI is used responsibly at their company, with 36% saying their company uses AI to make better decisions.
- Canadians reported improving company culture makes them feel more engaged (53%), improves their mental health/burnout (54%), and increases their motivation (46%).
In the same survey, Dayforce reached out to people around the globe about similar issues and divided respondents into three categories: culture promoters, culture passives, and culture detractors.
- 84% of executives and 81% of HR leaders report their company is actively engaged in improving its culture. But less than half of workers agree.
- Culture promoters were more than twice as likely as culture detractors to say they have the technology needed to do their jobs efficiently (85% to 39%) and that AI will have a positive impact on workplace culture (67% to 31%).
- Culture promoters were almost four times as likely as culture detractors to say company benefits meet their needs (82% to 21%).
- Culture promoters said they were more likely than culture detractors to have flexibility in how (57% to 28%), when (54% to 33%), and where (54% to 30%) they work. They were also three times more likely (91% to 29%) to say their employer trusts its workers.
Source: Talent Canada
Margaret Lilani
Senior Vice President, Global Delivery
"As the saying goes, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” In today’s market, particularly after many companies have endured restructuring, layoffs, and generally having to do more with less, maintaining a healthy workplace culture is crucial.
People want to feel proud of the work they do and be part of a team that values their contributions. A healthy company culture will inherently create employees who are more efficient and productive. All too often, organizations only address culture when things are going well, but it’s essential for leadership to evaluate culture in good times and in bad. Otherwise, they risk being blindsided when the environment shifts.”
HIRING NEWS & TRENDS
How to Navigate Worker Resistance to AI
Workers and AI: What’s at Stake
- If AI takes over their core or creative tasks, workers may feel disconnected, unmotivated, and devalued, especially if the change is foisted upon them.
- If their job roles change radically, they may even claim that their contract has been breached.
Promoting AI Acceptance
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Including workers in the process of selecting and implementing AI tools can give them a sense of ownership. It also can help them view the technology as a valuable resource, not a replacement.
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Still, some workers may have ethical objections to using AI in certain ways. Those concerns may revolve around data privacy, intellectual property, and transparency around AI-driven decisions, among other things.
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HR leaders should monitor AI’s impact on job responsibilities and focus on automating fewer tasks that workers find rewarding or think pose ethical issues.
Source: Canadian HR Reporter
Olivier Moreaux
Managing Director
“In Canada, as AI adoption accelerates across industries, workers are expressing their concerns about job security, the erosion of meaningful work, and the ethical implications of technology. Many fear that AI will eliminate their jobs, devalue their contributions, and automate tasks they find fulfilling. This is particularly true in creative fields, where AI might be seen as a threat to craftsmanship and originality.
To navigate these challenges and others, Canadian organizations are focusing on openness and collaboration. By involving workers in the adoption of AI and framing the technology as a tool to enhance rather than replace their roles, companies can create trust and acceptance. Addressing ethical concerns, such as data privacy and decision-making fairness, is also crucial. Employers are finding success by automating routine tasks while safeguarding roles that require creativity and human insight, ensuring workers feel valued and listened to in an AI-integrated future.”
HIRING NEWS & TRENDS
Canadians Say Hybrid Work Supports Productivity, Job Satisfaction
A recent survey by Humi, a Canadian payroll, human resources, and benefits software provider, found hybrid work is the most conducive to productivity and job satisfaction across generations:
- Gen Z (44%), Gen X (30.5%), and Baby Boomers (30%) prefer to be in-office with occasional remote days, while Millennials lean towards being mostly remote with occasional office days (36.8%).
- Millennials are the strongest supporters of fully remote work at 29.7%, followed by Gen X (22.5%), Baby Boomers (18.3%), and Gen Z (18%).
- 54% of Canadian workers said they value flexible working hours, with nearly a third of Gen X (31.6%) and Millennials (30.6%) considering them a must-have.
- Over half of the respondents in each generation value company culture, with work-life balance (80.1%) and a collaborative team environment (74.4%) being the two most popular factors impacting company culture.
- Each generation identified a sense of achievement as their top motivator, with Baby Boomers (41.7%) and Gen X (34.2%) prioritizing it most, followed by Millennials (31.4%) and Gen Z (30%).
- Gen Z stood out for prioritizing professional development opportunities, with 50% valuing it highly and 42% considering it a must-have.
Our takeaway from the survey: Employers should focus on shared core values that transcend generations to increase job satisfaction and empower managers to connect with team members one-on-one.
Sources: Benefits Canada
Sian d'Abadie
Managing Partner
“We are starting to see hybrid work become a competitive advantage for employers in today’s talent market, particularly those with a more progressive outlook. Some organizations are beginning to move back to full-time office setups, but this decision is unfortunately shrinking their talent pool, especially as the workforce continues to prioritize work-life balance and a healthy company culture.
Responsible and self-motivated workers across all generations tend to thrive working from home and are hesitant to move back to a traditional in-office role five days a week. Hybrid work doesn’t just attract more candidates, it offers an opportunity to build trust and empower the workforce. This is supported by information collected in recent surveys that show all generations of Canadian workers value flexible working hours. Companies that lean into that idea will benefit when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent.”
