Canada not a nation of clock-punchers: Monster.ca survey

Canadians want and expect fulfillment from their job, and four in ten aren't getting it

TORONTO, Nov. 24, 2014 /CNW/ - According to a new survey by Monster Canada, the majority of employed Canadians are emotionally connected to their work and most believe that a current or previous job has changed their life, often for surprising reasons. But employers take note of potential flight risks: a large pool of employees haven't yet identified a career path that they feel will lead to satisfaction at their current workplace.

An emotionally invested workforce Canadians are not a nation of clock-punchers. According to Monster's survey:

Six in ten (59 percent) working Canadians agree with the statement "My job has a major impact on my life and how I feel."

Only 37 percent say "My job is just something I do to make ends meet. I look for fulfilment in other areas of my life."

"While it's encouraging to see that many have found the job that changed their life, the numbers show that many others still have a desire to find better," says Sheryl Boswell of Monster Canada. "Given how emotionally invested Canadians have told us they are in their work, finding a fulfilling job is paramount when it comes to overall happiness, and employers need to take note."

Ingredients of a life-changing job Many Canadians have experienced a life-changing job, and the reasons are most likely to be non-financial:

Two thirds (67 percent) of working Canadians agree with the statement: "The job I have now changed my life" and six in ten (61 percent) agree with the statement "A previous job I held changed my life."

Close to nine out of ten (86 percent) say the job that changed their life identified new skills they possess and new things they are good at.

Eight in ten (80 percent) say their life-changing job helped them determine what is meaningful to them and what increases their sense of self-worth.

Youthful optimism When working Canadians were asked if they think it's likely that in the future, a job will change their life, the responses were sharply divided overall, and highly skewed by age:

Over half of working Canadians, 53 percent, are somewhat likely (34 percent) or very likely (18 percent) to agree that a future job will change their life.

Among the optimists are 72 percent of young workers ages 18-34 a number that drops to 60 percent at age 35, and plummets to 45 percent at age 45.

Four in ten (41 percent), say it's somewhat unlikely (23 percent) or very unlikely (18 percent) that they will find a job in the future that will change their life.

Employers: beware of the potential flight risks Many working Canadians are still seeking more from their jobs, and among those still searching, the perception is that more money would make a significant difference:

Four in ten (39 percent) agree with the statement "I will have to change employers in order to find the job that will change my life."

Almost half (48 percent) say being paid "significantly more" than they are now would make their job life-changing.

Two in ten (20 percent) say more flexibility/work-life balance. Interestingly, there was no difference between men and women in this respect.

Canadians also say personal fulfillment (19 percent) and identifying new skills and new things they're good at (13 percent) would make their job life-changing.

Research and choose wisely "For employees, knowing what aspects of employment bring you joy or satisfaction should play an important role in any job search and it's important to be honest with yourself," added Boswell. "On the other hand, employers must also have effective talent acquisition and management strategies in place to seek out the best employees and help them hone their skills."

The survey is part of an initiative by Monster Canada that aims to unlock the aspirations of job seekers through research, profiles of individuals that have achieved high job satisfaction and advice to job seekers and employers. Regional data is available upon request.

Note to editors: See the story come to life with this video of everyday Canadians that have found the job that changed their lives.

About Monster Worldwide Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:MWW), is a global leader in successfully connecting job opportunities and people. Monster uses the world's most advanced technology to help people Find Better, matching job seekers to opportunities via digital, social and mobile solutions and employers to the best talent using a vast array of products and services. As an Internet pioneer, more than 200 million people have registered on the Monster Worldwide network. Today, with operations in more than 40 countries, Monster provides the broadest, most sophisticated job seeking, career management, recruitment and talent management capabilities globally. For more information, visit monster.com/about.

This survey was run online in 2014 using Leger, The Research Intelligence Group's online panel, LegerWeb, with a sample of 801 employed Canadians to better understand their attitudes on employment. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of 3.5%, 19 times out of 20.