Over 2 in 5 Canadian workers feel ‘stuck’ at work: report

Survey highlights best ways to re-energize employees

Over 2 in 5 Canadian workers feel ‘stuck’ at work: report

It’s time for employers to shake things up for workers, judging from the results of a recent survey.

Overall, 44% of Canadian professionals currently feel “stuck” in their careers, according to Robert Half.

Feeling stuck at work means workers are dissatisfied with the work but feel as though they can't leave their position, explained Indeed.

Workers may feel stuck at their job, says Indeed, because:

  • they didn't understand the role when they accepted a position
  • they don't know the value of their own skills
  • they stayed too long because they’re afraid of change or risk
  • they got too comfortable in their routine
  • their skills are out of date
  • they think they need to prove themselves to earn better working conditions
  • they've convinced themselves to wait and see if a change will happen
  • they feel they can't turn down their high salary for a lower-paying job
  • their role is highly specialized, making it hard to identify transferrable skills
  • they aren't sure of their career trajectory
  • they are unsure of their values.

Many workers also felt trapped at work back in 2019.

Asked what can make them feel re-energized, a raise of bonus (67%) is their top answer, according to Robert Half’s survey of 609 professionals in Canada.

This matter of money far surpasses:

  • opportunities for career advancement with their employer (40%)
  • training to acquire new skills (28%)
  • actively seeking a new job opportunity (15%).

HR can help staff who feel stuck and are stagnant at work, according to a previous report.

How do workers want their careers to evolve?

Asked which of the following ways they would most like their career to evolve by the end of 2024, workers rank promotion at the top (32%), finds Robert Half.

Having more strategic or impactful responsibilities (24%) comes in second while completed training or certifications (18%) and a new job (15%) complete the list.

Over a quarter (28%) of Canadian employers expect employee turnover to increase this year, according to a recent report from Express Employment Professionals.

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