Half of Canadians Surveyed Plan to Change Jobs in 2023, Most for Higher Pay

A commercial retail space is advertised for lease along King Street West in Toronto on March 9, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Tijana Martin)

Despite economic uncertainty, half of Canadian workers plan to look for a new job in the first six months of 2023, according to the latest biannual Job Optimism Survey by business consulting firm Robert Half, released in December 2022.

This is up from the firm’s survey in June 2022 that suggested 31 percent of Canadians were planning to look for a new job in the second half of 2022 or were already looking for one.

The latest survey found, for the fourth time in a row, that money was the top reason for workers wanting to change jobs, indicated by 62 percent of respondents. The next biggest motivators were the desire for better benefits and perks (39 percent), better opportunities for advancement (30 percent), and more flexibility in when and where they work (27 percent).

The survey polled more than 1,100 professionals.

A separate Robert Half poll, the State of Canadian Hiring Survey released in August 2022, had already indicated that employers were bracing for turnover. According to the survey, which focuses on companies’ plans for hiring permanent staff, 47 percent of respondents reported increased voluntary turnover in their department in the last year, and 79 percent said they were concerned about more employees quitting.

The survey found that 40 percent of respondents were expecting to add new positions during the second half of 2022, and 50 percent were expecting to fill vacated positions. Of the more than 575 managers polled, just 8 percent foresaw a hiring freeze and 2 percent anticipated eliminating positions.

According to Robert Half polling, some workers are seeking new jobs because of return-to-office requirements. The June 2022 Job Optimism Survey found that more than half of workers considering a change were planning to look for a hybrid (56 percent) or fully remote (51 percent) position.

In response, among their recruiting tactics, 34 percent of managers said they were offering remote work options, and 30 percent were allowing new employees to live anywhere including outside of the company’s geographical area. Meanwhile, 42 percent were raising starting salaries, and 31 percent were offering signing bonuses.

‘Confidence in the Job Market’

The December 2022 Job Optimism Survey also examined who were the employees most likely to make a career move in early 2023. It found that 61 percent of those who had worked with the same company for two to four years were in this category. This was followed by 57 percent of technology professionals, 56 percent of Gen Z and Millennials, and 55 percent of working parents.

Gen Z refers to those born roughly between 1997 and 2011, and Millennials are those born roughly between 1980 and 1996.

There also appears to be greater demand for contract work, with almost 3 in 10 professionals (29 percent) saying they were considering leaving their job to pursue a full-time contract position. Moreover, 4 in 10 professionals surveyed stated they would consider going back to a former employer if provided a salary equal to or better than their current wage.

“Many Canadian workers continue to have confidence in the job market despite news of layoffs and a slowdown in hiring,” said David King, Senior Managing Director, Robert Half, Canada and South America, in a news release.

“Professionals with in-demand skills know they have leverage given the talent shortage, and are open to new opportunities that offer more fulfilling work, a higher salary, and improved perks and benefits.”

Employees responding to the December 2022 Job Optimism Survey said that when seeking new employment, 55 percent would be turned off by a job that had unclear or unreasonable job responsibilities, 46 percent would lose interest if the hiring manager had poor communication skills, and 35 percent would turn away if the company’s culture and values did not line up with their own.

“While we don’t know what the future holds as the labour market continues to evolve, prioritizing employee well-being, engagement and recognition will always be critical to attracting and retaining valued talent,” stated the release.