Stuck with disengaged employees? Here’s what HR can do

With many Canadians worried about the current state of the economy, many do not feel like they can look for other opportunities and jobs.

More than half of working Canadians (55 per cent) worry about job mobility and opportunities, according to this month’s MNP Consumer Debt Index report. The findings highlight that 32 per cent of Canadian workers are concerned they will not be able to find new jobs with similar pay and benefits, even though one in five (20 per cent) would like to change but do not feel financially secure enough to do so.

“We used to talk about golden handcuffs, where people were stuck because they couldn’t get anything better anywhere else. It wasn’t that they loved where they were; it was just that financially, there was nothing better out there,” says Catherine Connelly, a human resources and management professor a McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business in Ontario.

However, what she notes is new from the MNP findings is the number of Canadians turning to side gigs due to economic uncertainty and worry. According to the report, 47 per cent have been looking for ways to earn additional income, including selling goods online, learning new skills, working a second job, and taking on freelance work.

The findings raise questions around what employers can do when an employee feels stuck — and whether re-engagement efforts and internal mobility are the answer.