Marginalized Canadians derive a higher sense of wellbeing from work, despite feeling like they don't belong, study says
Initial report takes a microscope to what wellbeing in the workplace means
TORONTO, June 9, 2022 /CNW/ - According to a recent study spearheaded by business consulting firm, Sidekick, and advertising agency, Humanity, Canadians identifying with three or more dimensions of diversity (e.g., gender, sexual identity, racial identity) have a sense of wellbeing at work that is 42 per cent greater than their non-diverse peers. Dubbed The Wellbeing at Work Report, the inaugural issue attempts to understand the reality faced by Canadians at work, and what can be done to create engaging workplaces that foster innovation, growth, and transformative experiences.
The Wellbeing at Work Report was created to better understand Canadians' wellbeing at work. Its purpose is to measure how fulfilling work is, and how it contributes the overall pursuit of living a better life.
"The largest and overarching theme in the report had to do with marginalized Canadians deriving a high sense of wellbeing from work, even though many feel they don't belong in these spaces," says Ryan Hughes, VP, Head of Strategy at Humanity. "Despite organizations becoming more vocal about social justice and taking public stances on systemic issues, the data in this report demonstrates a perceived disconnect between their external positioning and their internal policies."
Even though Canadians who identify with at least 1 of the 11 dimensions of diversity report a higher wellbeing score from their work, almost half (45 per cent) of the same group don't feel they belong at their company.
"What's interesting when diving deeper into the data is Canadians who identify with dimensions of diversity are more likely to sacrifice time with their family to move up in their careers, and 43 per cent of this group prefers to work in teams, compared to 36 per cent of their non-diverse counterparts," shares Bonny van Rest, Co-Founder of Sidekick. "If companies were to embrace a shift towards people-centric and inclusive policies and leadership tactics, they could scale their success to untold heights, and the data in our report support this hypothesis."
Further highlights of the study include:
- 62 per cent of Canadians feel they're part of a team at work, but only 45 per cent say someone has talked to them about their progress at work.
- For Canadians who agree that the values of their organization mirror their own, their wellbeing score is 50 per cent, double the average Canadian's score of 24 per cent.
- When discussing wellbeing with Canadians who identify as racially diverse, collaborative environments provided opportunities to break down barriers that otherwise divide communities. These spaces are seen as arenas where "you can't be ignored".
Considering and acting upon this information presents a goldmine of possibility for employers.
"Creating teams that are authentically collaborative and driven by camaraderie and belonging, like scrum or cross-functional teams, is the first step in harnessing marginalized employees' drive, dedication and engagement," adds van Rest. "Decision-makers must also take a tailored and individual approach to supporting and mentoring their teams, both of which are crucial in creating a workplace that fosters a sense of belonging that is shown to be lacking, especially for marginalized Canadians in the workplace."
Sidekick and Humanity created this study to bring a more human lens to work.
"As an advertising agency, we are focused on helping brands stand out by standing up for people's wellbeing. However, we often see a gap between what a company is marketing, what they stand for, and what they're actually doing for marginalized Canadians," shares Hughes. "This report is the first step to diving into how we can bridge that gap and help brands truly support not only their consumers' wellbeing but their employees' as well.
As society moves into the Human Age, there is a fundamental shift occurring inside and beyond the workplace, a shift both firms sought to understand.
Both Hughes and van Rest invite leaders and change-makers to engage with this new report. "If you're interested in and excited about this change in how we view wellbeing at work, we invite you to read the report for yourself and join the conversation."
The full text of the study is available to read here.
Methodology: An online survey of 1,520 full-time Canadian employees, ensuring representation by province, age, and gender, was conducted between March and April 2022. A series of online discussions were also held, focusing on the workplace experiences of Canadians identifying as diverse. The study was built using Humanity's proprietary Wellbeing Framework™ to help brands understand the role wellbeing plays in the lives of Canadians.
Humanity is an independent, full-service advertising agency based in Toronto. Specializing in human-centric strategy and creative, Humanity's vision is to become an ally, partner and champion of transformative change using our experience and expertise to contribute to the greater wellbeing of the global human collective. To learn more visit www.humanityagency.com
Sidekick is an entrepreneurial consulting firm based in Toronto. Whether working with scale ups, larger organizations or not-for-profits, Sidekick's team of purpose-driven consultants is focused on developing actionable strategies that help you realize your goals, by connecting the 4Ps: purpose, passion, people and profit. To learn more visit www.sidekickconsulting.ca
SOURCE Sidekick
For further information: Alana Simpson, [email protected], 647-973-9434
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