Canadian employees looking for more purpose

by MARK PAVILONS

It's been said the reward for a job well done is that you get to do even more!

When you're surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible, according to Howard Schultz.

He also said that if you don't love what you're doing with unbridled passion and enthusiasm, you're not going to succeed when you hit obstacles.

On that point, many of us “older” workers have been there, or are there.

After decades of honing our skills and trying to make a difference in our work, we sometimes get stale, slow a bit and lose some of that umph.

So, the key is to look at the work, approach it a bit differently, and make it enjoyable by finding even the tiniest smidgen of joy and fun.

It's there, waiting to be uncovered. Believe me.

After more than a decade of writing about issues at King Council, I still try to use my empathy and passion to create clear, understandable articles on issues that impact residents.

It may not impact me directly, but as a father, husband, homeowner and dog owner, I can likely find a lot of things I have in common with most taxpayers.

A survey I came across examined Canadians' perceptions, hopes and desires regarding the ever-evolving workplace, finding that people are seeking more intrinsic value and greater sense of purpose in their work than before the pandemic.

Commissioned by First Onsite Property Restoration, Canada's leading property restoration company, the workplace values survey of more than 1,500 Canadian adults found that three-quarters of Canadians would like to work in an industry where they are helping people.

87 per cent of Canadians feel employee wellbeing is a human right. Women are considerably more likely to feel this way than men (92%-82%).

75 per cent of Canadians feel hybrid working is here to stay. Women are considerably more likely to feel this way than men (81%-70%).

75 per cent of Canadians would like to work in an industry where they are helping people.

Almost half of Canadians (48%) desire a greater sense of purpose in their work than before the pandemic.

41 per cent of Canadians feel they lack options for purposeful employment.

23 per cent of Canadians plan to quit or change jobs in 2023. Younger adults, aged 18-34 (at 34%) are far more likely to feel this way than those aged 35-54 (19%) and those aged 55+ (13%).

“A few things are clear from our survey. Many Canadian employees are concerned about finding meaning in what they do for work,” said Brian Hughes, Vice President of Human Resources for First Onsite Property Restoration. “It's increasingly important for HR leaders to focus on individual wellbeing and ensuring employees and managers are in the right resilient headspace. As the world and businesses change, workforces need ways to deal with high stress situations and evolve to be adaptable and effective.”

The survey revealed that employee wellbeing is a “human right” and most are adamant that hybrid working is here to stay.

A majority of respondents feel their workplace treats them like a “whole person,” rather than just an employee. That's great to hear.

“If there is one thing the pandemic has taught us, it is the human desire to live more meaningful and enriched lives,” said Hughes. “It is about finding the why in everything – from work life to personal life. This goes beyond traditional salary and benefits and includes helping employees learn to find their purpose, which in the long run, creates stronger organizations and bolsters employee retention.”

“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning,” said Mitch Albom.

I think as we age we do become a bit wiser and get a better understanding of the big picture. And that picture includes family, leisure time, health and just enjoying the little things. There are so many micro-moments each day that bring a smile to our faces, it's simply amazing. If we collected all of those in a jar, they would overflow in no time.

Following my treatment for prostate cancer, you would think I had some sort of epiphany or miracle moment of clarity. No such luck.

Sure, I thanked God and my lucky stars that I made it through all the hurdles. I still have a purpose, and I didn't come this far to only come this far.

I want to go further.

While some journalists get “stale,” I have found that my writing has actually improved in the last decade at the Weekly Sentinel.

And the people I have met, well there simply aren't enough kind words to describe the friends and acquaintances I have made. And the number of well wishes attest to King's sense of community and how they look after one another.

In many ways, my role as editor of the Weekly Sentinel is not “work,” but a way of life, a pursuit of knowledge and spreading awareness. How cool is that?

I will leave you with words from Martin Luther King, Jr.:

“Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.”