Careers Survey Results:

In late August 2018, Caddle surveyed 10,000 Canadians on their careers, job seeking, the importance and impact of workplace culture, and more.

Full-time employment still most popular

When it came to employment status, full-time (54%) still outstripped part-time by far (13%) and self-employed (6%), although 10% were homemakers and 5% were retired. Among the unemployed, 4% were looking for work. People not employed and not looking for work and students tied at 3%.

In a traditional workplace setting, your title might factor into both the type of work you do and your experience overall. 31% of respondents reported they were Intermediate level, followed closely by those who didn’t categorize their title (29%). Entry level and Middle Management each came in at 15%, while Executive and Upper Management employees rounded out the bunch, each coming in at 5%.

Curiously, 23% of people didn’t name their industry, while 14% were in health care and social assistance. Educational services came in a distant third, while educational services and other (except public administration) followed at 9% and 8%, respectively.

What keeps employees happy?

Because we spend so much of our lives at work, it’s important to be happy with our jobs, and for these respondents it takes more than a pay cheque to make that happen. In fact, “I just want a pay cheque” did not even crack the top five, but “work-life balance” took first place by far at 30%, followed by “being treated with respect” at 22%. “The opportunity to help others”, “having variety and change at work” and “having my work recognized” took up the last three spots in the top five at 22%, 14% and 8% respectively.

How important is workplace culture?

We often hear about how important workplace culture is – it can affect everything from your interactions with leadership and coworkers to ever-critical work-life balance and the company’s ability to recruit new employees. 91% of respondents said workplace culture was “moderately important”, “somewhat important” or “extremely important” both to their professional success and personal happiness.

Not unsurprisingly, salary still attracted these employees to their current positions, with 22% saying the main reason they accepted their current job was because it offered a “better salary than (a) previous role.” For 16%, it was a “unique work opportunity”, while 13% “simply needed a job.”

What perks and policies do employees value?

If you plan on staying in your position for the long-term, perks and policies become more important as your lifestyle and needs change throughout your time with a company. When it comes to which are most important to respondents, “Flexible hours” was the clear favorite at 29%, while “happy/friendly coworkers” came in at a distant second with 13%. “Work from home policy” netted 12%, while 11% picked “personalized benefits” and 10% were easily pleased – they just wanted a job they didn’t hate.

Are employees applying elsewhere?

If curiosity has ever gotten the best of you, you’re not alone. In fact, 52% of respondents believe it’s “completely acceptable” or “somewhat” acceptable” to apply to other jobs even if you have no intention of leaving your current job. They were split about whether it was okay to attend a job interview if you don’t have any intention of leaving your current job; 30% believed it was “not at all acceptable”, while 28% believed it was “somewhat acceptable.”