Are Quebecers happy at work? Oh no!

Stained job! It’s a section where Oliver Schmocker answers your toughest questions [et les plus pertinentes] In the modern business world…and of course its quirks. A reading date Tuesday and the Thursday. Would you like to participate? Send us your question at [email protected]

Q: “I read your columns regularly. I find them full of practical advice that makes a real difference at work, for which I thank you. But I also find that sometimes you exaggerate: It is not true that employees’ lives are a perpetual nightmare and that managers are all mean and manipulative! With us, for example , I only see smiles and good humor, while showing good performance. – Mark Andre

A: Dear Marc Andre, It is my turn to thank you for your positive and constructive comment. I’m glad to know I’m doing useful work with my “Job Reformers!” column. I am glad to discover that you are developing in an organization where happiness and efficiency prevail.

However, let me consider that you must be the famous exception that proves the rule. Because no, joie de vivre is not the norm at work, at least in Canada. I want proof, if it’s really required, of the recent study “The State of the Global Workplace: The 2023 Report” by management consulting firm Gallup.

This annual report gives the pulse to organizations around the world, especially in Canada. It allows you to get a fair idea of ​​their health status. The least we can say is that Canadian organizations are not, in general, in the best shape. Away from this.

Motivation that leaves something to be desired. Only 21% of Canadians feel engaged in their work. For others, they either work only for pay (62%), or are completely unattached (17%), and look elsewhere for a more exciting job, sometimes during their off hours.

– Among the most tense in the world. 56% of Canadians say they are stressed “most of the day” at work. This percentage is among the highest in the world, with the record going to Turkey (68%), followed by Lebanon (67%) and Greece (60%). By comparison, China has a rate of 55%.

1 in 6 Canadians are angry at work. The report shows that 17% of Canadians say they are completely grumpy “most of the day” at work. This percentage rises to 20% for those under the age of 40, showing that early and mid-career employees are those who suffer the most occupational frustrations: difficulties balancing work and private life; pay that does not meet their expectations; career development is slower than expected; etc.

3 out of 5 Canadians want to change jobs. 60% of Canadian employees surveyed say now is the right time to change jobs. Again, this is one of the highest percentages in the world, with the platform made up of Kuwait (84%) and Mali (73%) as well as Laos and Denmark (70%). It should also be noted that 56% of Canadians under the age of 40 admit, on condition of anonymity, that they are actively looking for a new job. And this percentage is 44% for managers alone: ​​this means that if you have 5 managers in your organization, today there are two who are looking elsewhere in the hope that the grass there is greener!

All this, Marc Andre, leads me to believe that your organization must be a real gem, or that your information regarding the current state of mind of employees does not quite reflect the truth. In any case, the conclusion is obvious, it seems to me: employers, take care of your employees in the best way, because they are not feeling well! Yeah, don’t wait until the situation escalates further and the whole thing blows up in your face. The sustainability of your organization is definitely at risk. No more, no less.

By the way, the Chinese thinker Mencius said in the “Book of Books”: “Goodness is on the path of duty.”