As of April 2023, the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over.
However, as the third anniversary of the start of the pandemic has now passed, we thought it might be interesting to look back and recognize just how far we’ve come. After all, we’ve collectively seen and experienced an (wait for it!) unprecedented amount of change – and that includes in the workplace!
We’ve put together our top 8 shakeups, trends and buzzworthy hashtags to hit the workplace over the past three years. Join us as we step back in time for a little retrospective review.
Major workplace trends
1. Layoffs and COVID-19 benefits
If we rewind all the way back to the very start of the pandemic, we would see that, on average, 12.4% of paid Canadians aged 15-64 were losing their jobs per month between February 2020 to April 2020. Many Canadians were unexpectedly finding themselves struggling to pay for basics like food and rent.
The increased demand for government support led to the Canadian Recovery Benefit, the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which, along with Employment Insurance, supported individual Canadians through this time of need. A variety of federal and provincial benefits were unrolled for businesses and organizations as well, with nonprofits and charities showing particular enthusiasm for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). In fact, one report suggested that, among the charity and nonprofit recipients of CEWS, 55% of staff positions were preserved because of this fund.
2. A focus on remote and hybrid work
As the number of people who had COVID-19 increased, many companies looked to remote work to continue operations in a safe environment. This meant software like Zoom and Microsoft Teams quickly became essential.
In May 2020, 43% of workers in Canada aged 25-54 were working remotely from home. This was more likely among women, full-time workers, and those with higher education and it correlated with industries that were more likely to work from home (e.g., professional, and technical services, education, information, culture and recreation, and administration).
Later in the pandemic, many Canadians began returning to the office. This was supported by the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, safety protocols, and desire of businesses to open their doors again; however, many companies opted for a hybrid working model which allowed employees more flexibility. In October 2022, 1.7 million Canadians were working hybrid jobs.
Both remote and hybrid work caused Canadians to invest in their home offices. This included finding apartments with extra space for an office and/or purchasing office equipment, technology, and accessories that would encourage a better work environment. Many workers now have the flexibility to live anywhere in the world they want while keeping their role remote.
3. The Great Resignation
One labour market trend highly covered by the media was the Great Resignation. Beginning in early 2021, the supposed Great Resignation occurred as workers quit their jobs in large numbers, citing low wages, poor benefits, burnout, lack of flexibility, and unfulfilling work as some of their reasons.
Based on the available data, the Great Resignation in Canada was a myth. Notably, as of February 2022, there was little evidence to indicate that worker concerns were leading to them switching jobs, and the number of workers aged 25-54 who voluntarily left a job was 13.4%, lower than in February 2020.
However, other changes afoot, with large increases in retirees. In fact, 2022 saw a significant increase, up over both 2019 and 2021 averages.You could say that, in Canada, we are seeing the Great Retirement and not the Great Resignation.
4. An increased focus on mental health
It is no surprise that the pandemic has continued to have a negative effect on many people’s mental health. One survey found that, in the spring of 2021, 25% of Canadians 18 and older were experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), up from 21% in the fall of 2020. Younger adults were found to have the highest increase in depression and anxiety symptoms.
This has also impacted workplaces. Many employers are reassessing their benefits plans to ensure access to mental health supports is available for their staff. It’s a good thing, considering a recent survey found one-third of Canadians prioritize health and wellbeing benefits when choosing an employer.
5. Prioritizing work-life balance
And that increased attention on mental health, especially workplace burnout, also has many Canadians refocused on work-life balance. Many workers are prioritizing:
- Setting better workplace boundaries
- Taking proper breaks
- Advocating for flexibility and realistic workloads
- Prioritizing their mental health
- Finding support with co-workers
- Building a fulfilling life outside of the office
While working from home was a boon for some, cutting out long commutes and creating more flexibility around when their work was completed, for others it meant it was easier to spend longer hours at the computer, especially when, for many, their office became part of their living room.
Workplaces had to reassess their practices and policies around work expectations, particularly with Ontario’s Right to Disconnect legislation, which now requires employers with more than 25 employees to have a written policy on disconnecting from work.
6. Increased attention to diversity, equity and inclusion
Advocacy to make Canadian nonprofit organizations more diverse, equitable and inclusive is not new; however, one of the key impacts to emerge from the pandemic was its capacity to highlight existing inequities in society – specifically, those groups who suffered disproportionately from restrictions and employment demands also saw disproportionate health risks from COVID-19.
Over the pandemic, rising rates of hate crimes, the murder of George Floyd, and the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools shone a critical light on continuing systemic racism and racial inequity. Social justice movements also amplified calls to action from the LGBTQIA2S+ and the neurodivergent and disabled communities. Increasingly, companies and organizations were called upon to take meaningful and concrete action, including in relation to Reconciliation and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices within their workplace.
It has become clear – workplaces are now expected to make real, tangible, and systemic changes to prompt and maintain a better working environment for all who live in Canada.
7. Media-hyped, buzzworthy workplace trends
One media-hyped workplace trend has been #QuietQuitting. This is when a worker does the minimum at their role, instead of going ‘above and beyond’ (e.g., saying “yes” to too many projects, working late or through lunch, or taking work home with them). Recently, #RageApplying has shown up as a supposed new trend dominating social media. This is when a worker applies to several roles, almost exclusively online, as a response to feeling frustrated with their current role.
While it may be more media hype than anything, the discussion around these labels shows how workplace mental health and work-life balance are becoming a key focus for many Canadians – and the media is paying attention too.
8. New forms of online communication and networking
You’ll notice that many of those buzzworthy workplace trends start with a hashtag. That’s with good reason – often they originate by going viral on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
These social media sites aren’t all cat memes and dance videos – many are using these forums to explore workplace culture and trends, with sketch comedy and advice content seemingly exploding overnight. In fact, with Gen Z now having a stronger presence in the workforce, staff are navigating intergenerational language challenges that include new uses of emojis, slang, and social media memes. Online communication, including in the workplace, is undergoing all kinds of change, both in the communication tools we use and the messages we send.
Still, traditional forms of networking have a continued place online, with everything from informational interviews to networking meetings going virtual. While events are starting to open back up, many organizers are choosing hybrid options, allowing for both in-person and virtual experiences.
We really HAVE come far, haven’t we?
A lot can happen in 3 years, and, clearly, a lot did.
The landscape of what it means to work in Canada is constantly changing and, since the onset of the pandemic, it seems things are changing faster than ever.
While we may not know what new, hot trend will hit Canada’s workplaces next, one thing is certain, change is constant. We hope looking back at the (last time, we promise!) unprecedented change we’ve been through in the past three years can help you feel a little more confident in navigating what comes next.
What would you add to this list? Feel free to reach out via social media to share your thoughts!
