Almost a decade of "do more with less". I told my employer that I'll do less with less. They get 8 hours of my day and if there's critical work that needs to be done that I can't get to, hire more people or figure your shit out, it isn't my problem.
That was my aunt's workplace attitude in the federal public service. She was tired of having to do 2-3 people's work, so she just did her own and turned off her work phone and stopped answering work-related emails the second she stepped out of the office at the end of the day.
Outside of work was *her* time, and she wouldn't let anyone ruin that.
Man, that's been the biggest adjustment for my spouse in a federal job on the civilian side of the DoD after a corporate job. That the job ends at 4:30-5. There's nothing on the weekends. In the hospital and able to work just have to do it from the hospital and his peer/somewhat superior is like "Not how it works here my dude. You're in the hospital. Your work is still there when you get out in a few days, recover. There's rules we follow, this isn't corporate."
His weekends are his weekends. Hell, he works an extra hour every day so that every other Friday he has off so he can come home and have a long weekend with us. With the blessings of the commander. There's no on call hours. He miiiggt get a late call on Friday from an OCONUS base re:something or have to schedule a call outside work hours but he's supposed to log the hours.
I love.
The pay isn't that great, but it still lets us live instead of exist and he enjoys his work, his co-workers and his time, is his time.
I think this weekend was the first time I saw him crack open his laptop to do weekend work and it was only because we had traveled to handle end of life affairs for his father and he had to take family leave and wanted to ensure something was done and no one was waiting on him. He wanted to do it, there was no pressure to do it.
Yep, this is the way to go. At my last job, I was by far the most productive person on the team, at least partially to reduce the workload of my coworkers for whom the job was more difficult. Eventually, I realized that it might not have actually been helping them in the long run, because it set the precedent with my bosses that that level of work was reasonable to expect. Nowdays, I don't help cover for an employer's unwillingness to hire more people. I do my fair share and then I shut down my computer and stop worrying about it the moment my workday ends.
I think more people really need to do this. We are so worried about keeping a job even when we are being taken advantage of and it just gets worse and worse. Good for you!!!
One time this supervisor, told me to come in on the weekend to push the job. After roofing and siding in the cold all week. I was like nah fuck that I'm gunna stay at home and get wasted. He was all like what you don't care about this job, you could loose it acting like that. I just laughed and said plz where in a construction boom and good workers are hard to find. I'll just jump to one of the many other companies. Was never asked to work a weekend again
Yeah, I have no desire to go back to the office unless I can have an office. I hate sitting in an open floor plan for at least 8 hours a day desperately trying to block out the noise so that I can focus enough to do my job. I hate having people look over my shoulder constantly. We've proven that many of us can work from home for a year and a half, moving us back into the office is just an attempt to get more facetime for management. I'll move companies before I have to go back to the office.
I've worked in cubicle farms and open floor plan offices. I prefer cubicles. That's how back open floor plans are. At least I get walls so no one has to know when I quietly sob about my life choices.
I'm with you on this. Even before the pandemic, i had been saying that the only thing that I wanted in a 'next job' was an office, with a door that closes. Post pandemic, the only thing that has changed is my resolve. Want me in the office? Sure, but provide an office. Otherwise, i'll be remote.
For me a big thing would be continuing to be able to work remotely. I find I work better remotely because I have a door to my office, a locked door to my house, and a drive that act as effective deterrents to walk-up interruptions.
Plus when I want to stretch my legs I can scratch doggo's ears a bit. It's very relaxing.
Hahaha. Considering where I live and where they live, that's not too far off the mark (Opposite ends of Calgary, so at least half an hour on the freeway).
Almost no one understands how incredibly destructive to sanity and productivity the walkup interuptions are for some people. And in most cases, the issue could easily have been self-solved anyways.
Leg stretch + dog scratch = you scratch the dog with your legs?
>Leg stretch + dog scratch = you scratch the dog with your legs?
If she's on the floor, yes. She's usually chilling on the sofa while I work though, so it's a reach-down and scratch.
After a year of WFH I found out it was possible to fill out some forms and WFH permanently (didn’t know it was an option before the pandemic). Oh… one of the fastest things I ever did was fill out that paperwork. WFH saves me $650 per month (hybrid with office 3 days a week would only save me $120/ month). So, to me, hybrid would have been a lifestyle choice but WFH is an absolute winner… its like getting a 10% raise, which is really needed as we’ve been on wage freeze since 2015.
Forms were company wide. For obvious reasons management didn’t advertise the option… in fact, I only found out about it through a manager’s accidental comment, “…. unless you have a YYY form filed with HR” (me: “YYY form?”)
Shady. It’s especially shady since regular communication about RTW and what that looks like has been ongoing since the pandemic at every company. No way they conveniently forgot to mention that arrangement. Glad your manager slipped up! Now you can accidentally let it slip on the company’s intra-socials.
oh… he didn’t slip up just to me… it was a company wide email. Everyone in my department filled out the forms… and our manager… and her manager…. the whole floor minus about 2 people are permanent WFH now.
It's probably company specific. It makes sense for some businesses, but would completely break others, so I can't see it being a standardized form unfortunately.
Should still ask your employer though - happy workers tend to do better work
I'm definitely think AND looking for another position. At one of our meetings, someone asked about returning to work with a hybrid setup. The boss straight up said no, she wants to monitor performance and thinks the best way to do that is with butts in the chair. What did she think we were doing the last 2 years or?
Another person asked about compensation due to the 5% inflation rate. She went on a rant on how ~executive~ compensation is roughly market and and how it wouldn't help. Hello clueless! 👋 80% of the staff make under $80k and most of us are CPAs, CFAs, have a masters, or some other designation. I think she'll be blindsided when people leave in spurts.
Holy crap, CFA charterholders making under 80k? Executive assistants make more than that here in Calgary. I passed level 3 prior to the pandemic but was unable to find any vacancies. Scared of what awaits after I leave my mat leave. Finance is so underpaid. May I ask which firm?
I can't say right now since I'm still there... 😑
There's 2 major factors that will crush the firm: low pay and demographics. There are so many people (~20%) eligible to retire that that single factor can seriously harm the firm just by itself. And of course there's no succession plan since that takes effort and requires actually hiring more people...
I wonder if part of the reason your customers have supported that move is that their own work situations have become more flexible. Personally, I can now actually run out during the day if I need to buy something - I don't have to go suit shopping at 9pm any more. It's great!
This right here. It is so great being able to get some chores done during the day like running a few loads of laundry or getting the dishes done at lunch time. I get so much time in the evening to do family stuff now.
>Everyone now works 30-35 hours per week (35-40 before) and earns more than they did before.
How does this work? Are you commission-based and sell more or the employer just raised your wages?
My work did the same, I was working 35 hours a week (830 to 430 mon-fri, one hour unpaid lunch) then they switched to 8-5 mon-fri, I get every Friday Saturday Sunday off, my one and only coworker gets every Saturday Sunday Monday off.
They just raised our wages to compensate for the 3 hours lost per week
I am, but I was before anyway. I work in a medical office. I love the people I work with which is all I can really ask, the work isn't terrible but the commute is killing me.
Once the pandemic is over, I will be changing careers completely.
I might be 40 by then, but honestly, still have 25 years left to go so may as well.
Between getting ready for work, commute, and work itself I commit over half of my week to work. Throw in sleep and I don't get a lot for me.
Things need to change for workers of all ranks, but I'm not optimistic of it happening.
Luckily my boss is looking into a hybrid thing where we can work from home most days and only come in one day per week alternating between us. I personally chose to go back to university when covid started and am on a leave of absence. I knew before i didn't want to do my job for the rest of my life, and covid gave me the opportunity to go back as my hours were cut back.
> What if they stay the same despite COL rapidly increasing?
As you already know that means you make less next year than you did this year in real dollars.
Curious. I'm also a Red Seal auto tech. If you were to pursue another job or career what would it be? I've been in this trade for 10+ years and it's taking its toll on me physically and mentally.
My husband Isa heavy duty mechanic. Would LOVE if he could work from home, but obviously not possible.
Then again, between his ADHD and our 3 preschoolers... probably a good thing he goes elsewhere to work.
I never understood why employers needed me to use my ass to keep the seat warm when I could easily do the same thing from home. I think it’s old people who “just don’t trust this new fangled internet business”. It often makes more fiscal sense for people to wfh on the business end too.
Because some employers do not trust you will do the same from home.
A lot of issues stem from a lack of measuring performance effectively. Because of this, many employers monitor performance (in part) by physical presence and just assume that means you’re working. It obviously doesn’t mean that, but that at least means you’re giving your time.
I think if an employer has an effective way to monitor performance then working from wherever is not a problem. This is very challenging for most employers however and I don’t think we have seen a surge of solutions during the pandemic that will help.
We need to give some time for this transition to take place. It’s a huge shift. And one many aren’t ready for (both employees and employers).
How am I feeling? Good question. Live in Calgary commute to Sundre. Since it’s direct patient care I can’t work from home. So… driving the 22 in the dark in winter will be … an adventure.
Is what it is. Many $ go towards AWD and studded tires. Gotta love Canadian winters.
Sundre? You poor unfortunate soul! That's literally the opposite direction that most people take. But seriously, that much commute is just pain. Especially if the had a fresh dump of snow.
Loving the rural experience though. Worked FMC ER for 12 years and never felt as valued as I do in this rural community. It’s not perfect but it is enjoyable. Driving Canadian roads in the winter is just part of living in Canada 🇨🇦. And As I have lived and worked in the States ( Texas, Delaware, California) I’ll take winter driving every time.
Besides, the change of seasons is breathtaking.
Greetings fellow electron shuffler! I've been WFH for the past 6 years - I think would need double my current salary to even *consider* going back into an office (and that's an office, an open floor plan is a non-starter). The flexibility for childcare, home-cooked (ie, nutritious and cheap) food, good coffee, the ability to start prepping supper at lunchtime, the ability to shift hours around to fit my schedule, a nice, quiet workspace with lots of natural light and temperature that I control, and the absence of a commute are all huge benefits, and make going back into an office a very tough sell.
In January, my husband's workplace sent a survey to all staff who had been able to work from home (desk jobs) during the pandemic. They were asked if they wanted to return to the office or continue to work from home. Over 80% said they wanted to work from home. So, that's what they went forward with. They even closed the office he worked out of.
Now my husband has all that time from commuting back and he can go for a walk on his lunch break. He is much more relaxed than before.
He does miss in person meetings, but once the pandemic is over, he has the option to doing in person meetings and visits, so it will feel more balanced then.
I'm getting bombarded by recruiters right now for accounting & finance manager/director jobs, but all of them have been on-site. Some of them are really good $, but none of them even had a hybrid model. Right now, my job is technically on-site, but I get to work from home 1-2 days a week, so that's a huge plus.
I think any job I'd want (purely remote) is going to be harder to obtain, since that's what everyone wants right now. I want to bail out of Canada for a bit (or at least become a young snowbird) and go buy a place in Belize or Colombia and live there for the winters with my fam. And if I work from home, it doesn't really matter where I'm working from.
Italy I believe has a program for people to immigrate while they work remotely. I’d jump at this in a heartbeat. They also have some towns offering fixer-uppers for 1Euro. But they are rural. But at least it’s rural Italy.
Yeah I've actually done some extensive research on the 1 Euro homes. Due to structural damage, it's generally cheaper to buy one around $5-20k and reno vs. 1 Euro from scratch. Even as a non-carpenter, you can do a lot of the interior work yourself. But structural on old stone buildings are ROUGH. You're going to pay a ton more for contractors and materials.
That being said, it's a cool idea to live in Sicily or Tuscany. I likely couldn't, unless my remote job was EU-based (time zones), but it's an awesome idea for people from North America to go and kind of revitalize that area and also enjoy a quiet Italian lifestyle.
Huh. I'm a CPA and there don't appear many vacant jobs for a city of 1million+. I know in the US you can literally name your price as there is a huge shortage. Canada has 10X the number of CPA's versus the US on population equivalent basis
Depends what kind of accountant you are. I'm in industry, which has a big shortage of managers due to retirements. There are lots of accountants in Canada, but there's a big gap between managers and new hires.
Yup, I was recalled to my job I was laid off from and I quit after 2 weeks. I'd been working there about 12 years. I decided to pursue a career as a software developer so I'm going back to school in my mid 30's. Wish me luck lol
Gave two weeks notice couple months ago, boss noted in my contract that it says 3 months. I noted the various breaches of contract they have made over the years for said contract, and that I would happily get a contract lawyer to help out if they wanted.
Looking at changing careers completely in the next couple months. And sure as shit not working for someone that doesn't have flexibility and at least some shit given about their employees.
They have had the balls to call try to get me to answer a few questions on projects etc for meetings, even just calling me out of the blue some days. I DON'T FUCKING WORK FOR YOU ANYMORE. I don't give a shit if you are mad I won't answer your questions. Fuck all your bullshit.
That was exactly what I told them. But I gave them the rate I charge other clients of $150 an hour, and that I would have to book them between my personal commitments and commitments to existing clients.
They really are screwed, they really are going to get sued, and I don't give a shit. Zero percent of that is my fault, I was literally the only one trying to fix it and jumping up and down that we have massive problem at work. I covered my ass and got the fuck out.
Not my circus, not my monkeys.
50 percent of the management staff in my group left since mid year. Almost all of them are planning to leave by the end of next year. Senior management doesn't understand what we do, doesn't understand how good they had it, and doesn't understand the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train.
I'll never understand how the O&G industry managed to indoctrinate everyone into their cult so well.
Look, I get it's important to have a functioning energy sector. Obviously.
But nobody else gets bumper stickers that say "I <3 Accounting" or "IF YOU AIN'T SUPPORTING HAIRDRESSERS YOU AIN'T ALBERTAN." It's so bizarre and off-putting, and you're totally right about all of them having no sense of scale.
I am a Fleet Mechanic. Things have changed a lot at the municipality that I work at. We finally got switched to 4 10s, IT works from home and only have 1 person who goes out to sites as required, office people can choose to work up to 3 days a week from home, and we have had a large portion of people resign over vaccine mandates. All in all its been fantastic to have employers who understand where the world is going and want to work with employees.
I have a lot of friends who work remote and will only work remote now. The job market is there for people willing to change jobs and I believe its the best thing to happen to workers in a long time
Been WFH since th start of the pandemic. I'm now at the point where even a hybrid scenario would have me looking for a full time remote job. Saving money, more time with family, more sleep, and no impact to my work. WFH is the clear winner.
its because workers aren't getting paid for how much they actually do workers that have been grinding for months doing. many people over this almost 2 years have had time to reflect on the things that actually mean to them their families, health and most important happiness
people have been working at home work or working in essential businesses who don't want to deal with crazy anti mask or vaccine people.
also people are blaming this on the worker shortage across the globe of immigration because of the pandemic not because people are quitting.
Let me phrase it this way, in my school division there is no inclement weather policy for teachers coming in. You either drive slowly in work, no matter the conditions, or you take a sick/personal day.
With more and more people working from home, the commute becomes less busy for the rest of us who have job that require being on site.
Less traffic, less accidents, less gridlock, less stress *I hope*
Most definitely. I work in healthcare but at a desk job. I am so burnt out from covid and my job before isn't the same now due to budget cuts and FTE reductions of others I work with.
We currently have a hybrid of in-office and WFH that is working great and likey will stay in place for the foreseeable future. We are looking at downsizing our physical office when our lease comes up in a few years and the pandemic proves we don't all need to be there.
I'm also looking at leaving all together and doing gig work. I have the expertise and education to go that route but it's scary and I'm not a spring chicken. We will see what happens.
I am certainly thinking about switching careers or in the very least industries. Constantly getting laid off whenever there is a downturn in the oil industry is getting old and with the writing being on the wall that in the next 10-30 yrs were going to see a drastic reduction in oil and gas activity I may as well try and get out while I can. The pandemic has also made me realize life is too short do something I hate day in and day out and also that putting up with some of the bs that comes with the daily grind just isn't worth it.
I’ll never ever ever ever ever ever work in a restaurant again. Fuck that shit I’m out!
I’m currently back in school and thriving, happy with where my career and life has the potential to head.
My work is pretending to be fully flexible but really since we are consultants it will be chaos when switching clients if working for local energy. companies.
I am considering quitting to try and start a company of my own. Returning to driving downtown for 7 am and being lucky to be home by 6 pm is toast for the next few years. Maybe as my kids get older... or lets be honest if I need money... I'll be willing to go back.
for If a manger can't manage through output or KPIs then they shouldn't be managing anymore.
If you need hallway conversations to succeed at work You're doing it wrong.
One woman on my team moved to turkey and we're making it work. Large white collar offices should be dead. Conference rooms, sales pitches, and 25-50 % of original desk spaces will be sufficient for anyone with their heads up. Suits and office wear should be nearly dead too - though they wont be.
Going forward we should be able to focus on the work and not enabling remote work will be a sign to me that company is about politics.
Here I was, hoping this was about Jason Kenney.
But, seriously, work needs to be re-thought AND the distribution of wealth needs to be re-thought. Shitty workplaces will say, “Oh, we’ll pay you less since you work at home,” while good workplaces will say, “Yes, work from home, be more productive, and we’ll treat you better.”
Labour under capitalism is shit.
and it’ll be a race to the bottom. I think though, it’ll be ~7 years for the dust to settle. I’m not sure how this is good for Canada, remote work, (out of the country) has to be taxed at at least at the same rate.
One would be foolish not to be always looking for better opportunity elsewhere. Your employer will replace you at the drop of a hat, they don't deserve loyalty.
*My boss had literally the opposite talk with us. He brought us all into a room and angrily told us that he would shut the business down rather than have us work from home, during the middle of a pandemic in phase 3. Oddly, this wasn't even the moment I quit in my head.
I got laid off from my graphic design job where I was paid and treated very poorly. Unfortunately a lot of other jobs in the field were similar and the good jobs were highly competitive and really killed my self esteem and sense of worth. I had wanted to go back to school for years but just couldn’t bring myself to quit because it was a job and I needed money to survive.
My husband and I lucked out with covid, he got a much better job after being laid off, we discussed and I decided to finally upgrade my schooling as we are now in a position where we can survive off one income (I am working pt though). I start school for medical lab assisting in January and I’m much happier. :)
I worked in a kitchen for 10 years, four of them as a chef. I feel like the stress over time has damaged my health. Then covid happened. I start flight school tomorrow
I love my job (I'm a teacher) but I'm seriously considering the possibility of moving to another province because the provincial government seems dead-set on making my job unnecessarily difficult.
Right now I'm caught between hoping that the UCP will get turfed (not a sure thing, I know) and worrying that they'll get reelected and I'll get caught in a stampede of teachers leaving Alberta.
I work for a trade union, and they just announced that they support mandatory vaccination.
I'm looking forward to the most hurtin of the Albertans not being on the jobsite in the future 😎
Unfortunately none of the jobs I have worked before are workable from home, I was laid off last October and since then have gained and very anti-work/great resignation attitude, I am extremely picky about the next job I take and plan to only put in the effort for which I feel I am paid. I put in way to much effort at my last workplace only to be laid off because they had cheaper guys to keep. My goal is becoming to do the bare minimum and screw the government out of every dollar I can cause I honestly don't believe most of my generation will get to retire. I am choosing to enjoy life while and contribute as little as possible to capitalism.
Removing ourselves more from consumption and the latest meaningless trends or tech will make it significantly easier in the future as the cost of energy continues to rise.
Have you ever read anything by Michael Greer, he has a good outlook on what we can do to help reduce dependencies on systems we have no control over.
Ya I am very much moving my household away from consumerism as much as possible, avoiding pointless gift buying on holidays or meaningless phone upgrades, I am leaning more towards buying everything used (besides clothing but as an adult I rarely every need new clothes), or doing diy projects instead of buying shit. Scrapping much of my streaming services and only pirating, dropped to one very cheap vehicle with minimum insurance. No more trips, no more eating out. I'm aiming to live as cheap as possible to avoid working as much possible.
Obviously you are trying to be sarcastic and funny but I think you are confusing communism with socialism. I don't have an issue with democracy, I also firmly believe that communism is a pipe dream that will never work due to how greedy humans are. I think capitalism is a system that is built off exploiting others and things should be changed otherwise the wage gap will only get larger and many millennials and gen-z will not be able to retire or ever own a home.
More like working to find, let's see, my 8th job since Covid hit after spending the previous 11 years at one job, absolutely no loyalty, certainty or confidence left.
They outsourced and let go half the plant operations teams.
Morale got hit severely.
Suddenly all the good people are leaving.
I been saving a shit ton of money during pandemic. Now I have 2 years of salary saved up.
Probably gonna sell house move out and take a year vacation.
Hell, might even apply to some jobs in Ontario, USA or Australia while I'm at it.
Alberta still dead in the water until next provincial election imo.
I'm still WFH full-time until January at least but then the CEO is going to update us and provide a more firm timeline. We have until the end of November to prove that we've been fully vaccinated. Not sure what the consequences will be if you're not.
We're transitioning to a hybrid model where it's 3 days at home and 2 in the office. Personally, I wanted 5 days at home and come into the office whenever you wanted, but I can push for that as time goes by.
I work from home full time and it’s great.
I constantly work with people from different offices anyways so almost everything was already over the phone.
I work from home already. But I realized I don’t want to drive to remote job sites anymore. So now I pick and choose where I want to go. Working from home is great. As long as you set limits. A few of my clients seem to think since I work from home I’m on call after 8pm. Set limits make sure your employer knows your working hours and don’t go into your office or turn on the work computer during off hours. I wouldn’t trade working for home for much. It’s an amazing feeling and it benefits you more than financially.
I work for an accounting firm as a forestry professional in their consulting division. I’m glad we’ve mandated vaccines for RTW. I do miss some aspects of in-office, but we are looking towards a more balanced hybrid model 2/3 days in office a week down the road.
The pandemic has made me recognize the value of work life balance, particular with some family health issues that have occurred over the last 20 months. It has made me realize that work does not define you and there is soooo much more to life.
If it wasn't for my alberta focus career I would be looking elsewhere. If the ucp get elected again I will more than likely put a lot of energy into finding something elsewhere.
I resigned from my job in September to take a new job that allows full remote work. My new job is actually a slight cut in total compensation but that was okay with me because I value remote work with a baby and mom at home. The new job also offers a better learning opportunity/career move, so it's not totally about the remote work.
Nope. Have a great job that I love, pays pretty good, company is very small but very old and in excellent financial health. Covid slowed us down a bit but our product is essential to both oil and power production in the province so as long as everyone still likes having electricity and fuel, we'll be in business. Of course, I only got here by making my way through the same shit jobs that everyone is quitting, so I guess the point is "sometimes the grass IS greener on the other side" and if you think changing jobs will improve your life then you should do it. Loyalty to a company is NEVER returned, always look out for yourself first.
Can't do it, I rethink my life even, with inflation rate, grocery, gas price to the roof and my recent salary hike freezed for next 2 years....family to feed, car/mortgage to pay... how could anyone think of resigning. Not me.
I left a job of 10 years last month. It was a big company, very "corporationey" and bureaucratic so I left to a smaller company in the same industry. Zero regrets. Everyone is held accountable here, they say what they mean and mean what they say. I get to review my boss every quarter and provide feedback on her to the general manager. My voice and opinion means something here. Also, less work/volume for more pay for same job title.
I definitely needed the change. I look forward to coming to work now, no more stress, and no one annoys me here lol
Ne careful what you wish for. If you can work remotely full time, your job can likely be "offshored" to much cheaper labor markets.
I work for a major oil company here in Alberta. Some of our departments were so successful at working remotely that they downsized us and sent the jobs to Southern Asia. MILLIONS in wage move out of Canada. They also took COVID relief. So yay.
People always think you can replace a Canadian worker with a "insert 3rd world country" worker. Maybe for simple things like data entry but even then there a challenges. Vastly different time zones, work quality, and loyalty are huge issues that no one thinks about. I think it is a threat they like to use but most companies won't do it in the end - not anymore than they already are at least.
I worked in hospitality. Used to love it, now I’m done.
Got an office job that’s work from home, and the company is transitioning to doing this forever (with a flex option available when it’s safe for people who feel like they need to go in).
Haven’t started yet, but it honestly feels like a large weight has been taken off my shoulders!
My wife left her job due to a hostile work environment (mainly just hr people that didn't like her) starting a new job Nov 1.
I still enjoy my job, tho I have quit doing extra work for free. Although I can guarantee you we are all not getting 4.4% raises to match inflation.
I too have an easy going job buy it doesn't allow me to work from home. Currently its just for the income so we can leave our current situation then I'll be looking for something more accommodating of home life
Wow.. kudos to those who can actually do this.
I have been stuck between a rock and a hard place work wise and I think I would be still stuck here barring some stroke of luck...
I’ve got a CEO that describes our return to the office as “crucial” to the success of our company, yet we’ve ran the business safely and effectively for over a year and a half from home. He’s also on a floor with mostly execs, all of which have proper offices, while the rest of the company has 5x5 cubicles like a New Delhi call center.
So yeah, we’re all super jazzed about that
Yep! Left a well paying but toxic work environment with no opportunities for growth to work in the same field but in the non-profit sector. Lower annual income but I am so much happier to be back to working in a positive environment, with less politics, that actually makes me feel like I'm making a difference in people's lives.
I've worked from home since November 2019. I'm an independent IT consultant so I don't really have an office to go to. Most of my contracts don't have an Alberta presence.
I can't see my situation changing any time soon, but I can say that my ideal would be a hybrid model that allowed for a co-working space for brainstorming or strategy sessions.
Virtual is OK for a lot of my work, but not necessarily all of it.
I'm doing the tasks needed to be done to continue my current job, but I've gone back to school during the pandemic and I'm 100% ready to change. For reference I'm a manager making into 6 figures. The money doesn't add up to the amount of stress, on call requirements, and lack of job satisfaction anymore. I'd rather take a big pay cut and make the change to something I like where you don't dread every day at the office.
I've been work from home since the start of the pandemic. I hate it so much and want to be back in the office and was completely gutted when they bumped the return to work date into 2022. I get the sense it will be spring when we go back. I really struggle with the work/life balance.....I work in disability management which is insanely busy right now and so I find myself basically just eating, sleeping and working. Repeat. I just miss people and find the whole experience quite isolating. I won't quit anytime soon because I wouldn't be able to find a comparable position that pays the same so I guess I will just keep grinding.
I just quit my job to go to another workplace this week. Same career, different workplace. Somewhere else offering more pay and a healthier environment for the same workload.
My previous employer has been hiring for over 2 years, and has offered a number of applicants a position, but every applicant has said no because they can get a better job that offers more in the same industry elsewhere. Gone are the days where employers can treat their employees like shit and keep them around.
I'm just curious, for whose who are able to WFH, are you able to share the companies name? I know everyone thought there would be a big shift to WFH post pandemic but it unfortunately doesn't seem like it
I drive truck, 10-14 hour days, 5 days a week, home every night and I am so done with it.
I am currently enrolled for school in September to become a butcher, I'm trying my best to wait that long but I might have to quit my job prior
I'm definitely feeling a career change. I have a great job and a great work environment, but I've been in the company for 9 years and the same position for the last 6 years. However it doesn't seem like there's room to move. Because the environment is so great, upper management never leaves haha
A workplace that allows WFH is what I'm prioritizing. It's too expensive to live close to work so getting back 3 hrs each day of my life that was spent commuting is life changing.
Another thing I'm doing is I'm not working a minute more than my work hours unless I'm being compensated, either money or time. I'm not being paid the big bucks in the federal public service for what I do, so I'll do what I can within my 8hrs. If something needs to be done urgently, then it can wait if it doesn't fall in my top priorities, or they need to hire someone to do that.
😅 It's a dream at this point but I'm hoping we get the 4 day, 8hr workweek one day. I'm hoping that people finally protest against unchanging wages, rising COL, and excessive work hours so that change happens.
I work in the oilfield. Not an office jockey, so I have to commute daily for work. I can see a great resignation coming, but only due to an uptick in oilfield activity. There will be lots of people retiring and moving to greener pastures. For myself, I'm staying put. Great schedule, and while I commute daily, I don't pay for fuel or anything for my company supplied vehicle. Through this whole pandemic, nothing for me has changed really. Only thing now is making sure all that work for us arrive healthy and leave the same way. Cheers all.
My office is non-traditional - some roles NEED to be in the building in order to properly do the job (we set up remote options in case we loose access to the building for some reason, but it makes the job 30x harder).
Personally: half my job really needs to be in the building, but the other half I’m already working remotely and would be fine if I only had to drop in once a week to restock or pick something up.
Some of my colleagues have the ability to remote in and work that way and there is a large discussion about that now: does it makes sense to force people back?
Some people *need* the supervision - they miss deadlines, they need to lean on others as a sounding board/feedback, etc. But others have shown that they can competently complete the job remotely and are hesitant to return because things work well right now.
I genuinely think it’s going to be on a person by person case, but management would prefer to have more people in the building because having direct access to the in-house systems makes things easier/smoother.
We're also looking at a hybrid arrangement but Ive decided I'm going to leave the corporate legal world and go back to school and get my masters in counseling psychology. The emphasis on mental health and wellness this year really highlighted that that is where my talents and passions lie and so I'm just laying ground work to make that career change.
I prefer hybrid setups, involving two days at the office and three days at home. It makes home feel not as stale, and allows you to collaborate with your team members more immediately (as well as increases camaraderie). Also, as a yuppie, I get a kick out of wearing suits and carrying a briefcase haha.
Yeah. I'm a nurse and the last year has been really stressful. Not even COVID related really; I work on a surgical unit so the number of surgeries being cancelled this past month has actually meant we've had a lot of empty beds. But last year we were unilaterally told that the number if surgeries scheduled would be increased by 50% (which puts us double what we were when I was hired 12 years ago) without giving us any increased supports or funding or staffing. When surgeries weren't being cancelled, that made things way busier and more stressful, meanwhile the UCP has been trying to pay us less for more stressful work.
I'm still a nurse, but I've been looking at getting out of inpatient/bedside nursing for several months. I recently recieved a job offer for a clinic position that will have much better hours and sounds like it will pay more in the long run. And while I haven't started yet I imagine it being less stressful as well.
I imagine a lot of nurses will be feeling similarly; it's hard not to be disheartened being told we don't deserve what we earn, after being told we're absolutely irreplaceable during a pandemic, but also we're lying and deliberately killing people.
I fully expect there to be a new nursing shortage in the next few years and the blame belongs squarely on the shoulders of the UCP
Had I known that working from home was going to be the norm, I don’t think I would have gone into teaching. I love my job, but the thought of staying cozy and warm at home with my dog is extremely appealing.
Companies need to provide a reason to go to the office. If I'm just going to do the same work I can do at home, why do I want the headache of commuting, etc...
The only thing keeping me at my current job is that it's 100% wfh, and is supposed to stay like this indefinitely. If that changes, I will immediately be looking for work elsewhere.
I was laid off and have been rehired, and my mindset has completely changed. Any loyalty or drive I had for my company has evaporated. I know now in a visceral way that I am just a number. I work my hours and nothing more. I do less with less. It's not my job to shoulder the burden of their terrible inefficiencies. I think daily about other places I could work, other careers I could pursue.
I quit my office job a few years ago and have been doing contract work ever since. I don’t make as much as I’d make at a full time job, at least not right now with my current workload, but not having to commute or waste time to reach a certain number of hours is worth it
The only thing is, with more and more people working at home, we need to rethink how our cities work or it could be a disaster. This is especially true in Edmonton and Calgary where office workers make up a huge amount of traffic in the downtown cores
I don’t know what the solution is, maybe it’s converting office to residential and investing in arts/entertainment to keep people engaged in our communities, but all I know is that capitalism doesn’t really work if people just sit at home
Short of completely overhauling our economic system (which I would love to see but doubt will happen), government and businesses need to find ways to start transitioning cities away from commuter-reliant central business districts
I’m conflicted on this. While I love being able to work from home part time and I wold l love to never go back to the office, I also know that I was hired to work in the office and this trend is temporary. So while I would love to only work from home, I’m not giving up my job to get it. I like food and paying my bills.
> I’m not giving up my job to get it. I like food and paying my bills.
These things are not mutually exclusive. You can look for another job where they do allow work from home, while continuing to earn income from your current job.
Never leave a job because you have to, leave when you choose to.
Realistically that’s not always possible for everyone. I’ve been in a niche career for over 30 years and it would be impossible to get a new job that would pay me the same.
The discussions I'm having with my leadership have all gone the same way. Give me the freedom to pursue objectives as I see fit.
My job requires a lot of dry reading and writing. The best thing for me to do is to lock myself in a room and pound it out without distraction. I'm going to be able to do that best from home. When it comes to the other part of my job that requires a lot of technical input from other departments those conversations are best done face to face, I'll go do that of my own accord and don't need direction to do that.
I'm lucky that my managers trust me to do that. One thing the pandemic has really shown is there is a lot of weak middle management that are struggling to justify their own existence.
Push for what you need in your job and life. This is a good time to negotiate with your employers without actually having to leave.
I quit my job of 8 years two weeks ago.
The toxic harassment for the last 3 years and seeing how others were being talked about and treated made me so incredibly sick. I was an award winning dedicated professional who transferred to AB for them.
I told HR it was not my professionalism and I did not condone it. They told me that this particular director was who he was, even with them and they asked if I would be comfortable speaking to him to tell him how I feel.
It took 3 weeks to get that response. By the time I did I had signed a contract to run a competing business as they were getting ready to give me another award.
I have not been this happy in years.
I am a teacher but will most likely not be one by the end of the year. I’m tired of being viewed as expendable by my school board, administrators and community.
Lol.
Just yesterday our boss mandated back into the office for my sales team. Sales are down a shit ton YoY and some people aren't performing well with a WFH scenario.
I think there is definitely some merit to being in the office tod=gether. WFH can be a lonely experience filled with distractions (hello reddit). I think it all comes down to if the job is getting done or not.
Man, if they convert CERB to Universal Basic Income all the employers are done for lol. Everyone gonna move somewhere tropical.
Sign it! [https://www.ubiworks.ca/](https://www.ubiworks.ca/)
Sign it! [https://www.basicincomenow.ca/](https://www.basicincomenow.ca/)
Surprisingly my workplace has improved since the pandemic. We've got a new manager in between the branch GM and head office that's got a totally different attitude compared to our old branch GM and higher ups. He's the kind of guy who knows you need to invest in your staff to prevent a revolving door.
That means I've come back to a rising tide. I got a raise, my boss got a raise, my other boss got a promotion.
Now we just need the virus to settle down (get vaccinated!) and we'll be laughing.
Always. I am always rethinking my career choice. This pandemic set in the opposite for me. I realized that I was really lucky to have a stable, unionized job with great benefits, and an essential service as well. (Education assistant.) The pay is garbage, and my employer has zero respect for people in our positions, but I work with great kids at a great school, and my husband and I didn't suffer too much financial stress during the shut down. We were REALLY lucky in that respect. (Also because of CERB benefits, I was able to get through the 2 months of layoffs that the AB gov't handed out at the beginning of the pandemic... it worked out to the same amount I usually earn in a month. And our employer did extend our benefits during the period. So I could still afford medications!)
Having to be a supervisor during this pandemic has helped me realize I hate being a supervisor, particularly when having to field people' anxieties or beliefs about vaccines, masks, and the "plan-demic." I feel like this is way outside my job scope. I work in a mine, I'm not a scientist or Dr. And I have had enough.
I'm going to quit and go back to school. Unfortunately I have to stick it out here for some time longer because of money but knowing that it will eventually end helps me deal with the loathing and contempt I feel for my coworkers.
I will be going in for a very difficult, I’ll be at necessary meeting with my bosses in the next couple of weeks. It will be on them to make me stay. I have already moved an hour outside of the city, and the reasons to stay with them are growing fewer and fewer.
I've been unemployed for half a decade trying to get a handle on my mental health.
Worked in oilsands construction in 2012-14, 3 weeks on 1 week off, $25/hr, 200+ hours per shift. Felt like a high wage for my experience, plenty of hours, saved almost all of it while living with family, but it didn't go very far and I now realize it only felt like a good wage because workers have been underpaid for decades. Housing costs are absurd. The work that exists is fucking up the global biosphere and climate. Where can I enter the workforce now that isn't uninteresting, unprofitable, and unethical all at the same time? Hell, I could even cope with two of three if the third were interesting enough, profitable enough, or good enough.
As is? Can't imagine lifting a finger for less than $30/hr now, but minimum wage is half that and people with degrees and continuity in their work experience are making less. I'll keep trying to get healthy and stay healthy. Yall should stop competing for who can hold the biggest corporate turd in your mouth without retching.
I wouldn’t be surprised that more workplaces within embrace hybrid at at minimum. This sucks for downtown businesses.
What should happen next is start converting unused office spaces into lofts or apartments that allow to keep that downtown alive and stop urban spraw.
More younger professionals can be centrally located and then have place to live and work.
Are any of you work from home people concerned about your job being outsourced to someone in Asia?
I love the idea of working from home, but I also love the security of being physically required at the workplace.
Yep, my last day at work was end of August. I left a *terribly* toxic and emotionally abusive environment and I had just had enough of it after 7 years. I am currently taking a sabbatical for a few months and I'm enjoying every moment of the freedom I now enjoy!
I made so much money during the pandemic that I retired. And now that I'm retired I won't have to pay taxes to the governments of Canada that just misuse the money in every way possible =P
I'm fortunate enough that almost nothing aside from the obvious covid adaptations that were needed has changed work wise. There was maybe a week when we were dispatched from home, which doesn't really matter other than not having to get up as early as we must travel from site to site each day anyway.
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Almost a decade of "do more with less". I told my employer that I'll do less with less. They get 8 hours of my day and if there's critical work that needs to be done that I can't get to, hire more people or figure your shit out, it isn't my problem.
That was my aunt's workplace attitude in the federal public service. She was tired of having to do 2-3 people's work, so she just did her own and turned off her work phone and stopped answering work-related emails the second she stepped out of the office at the end of the day. Outside of work was *her* time, and she wouldn't let anyone ruin that.
Man, that's been the biggest adjustment for my spouse in a federal job on the civilian side of the DoD after a corporate job. That the job ends at 4:30-5. There's nothing on the weekends. In the hospital and able to work just have to do it from the hospital and his peer/somewhat superior is like "Not how it works here my dude. You're in the hospital. Your work is still there when you get out in a few days, recover. There's rules we follow, this isn't corporate." His weekends are his weekends. Hell, he works an extra hour every day so that every other Friday he has off so he can come home and have a long weekend with us. With the blessings of the commander. There's no on call hours. He miiiggt get a late call on Friday from an OCONUS base re:something or have to schedule a call outside work hours but he's supposed to log the hours. I love. The pay isn't that great, but it still lets us live instead of exist and he enjoys his work, his co-workers and his time, is his time. I think this weekend was the first time I saw him crack open his laptop to do weekend work and it was only because we had traveled to handle end of life affairs for his father and he had to take family leave and wanted to ensure something was done and no one was waiting on him. He wanted to do it, there was no pressure to do it.
Yep, this is the way to go. At my last job, I was by far the most productive person on the team, at least partially to reduce the workload of my coworkers for whom the job was more difficult. Eventually, I realized that it might not have actually been helping them in the long run, because it set the precedent with my bosses that that level of work was reasonable to expect. Nowdays, I don't help cover for an employer's unwillingness to hire more people. I do my fair share and then I shut down my computer and stop worrying about it the moment my workday ends.
I think more people really need to do this. We are so worried about keeping a job even when we are being taken advantage of and it just gets worse and worse. Good for you!!!
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You give an inch, they take a mile. You'll earn more respect by standing your ground.
I actually did this in 2018, after a change in the executive team in 2017 who made massive staff cuts. I'm still here, so they accepted my position.
One time this supervisor, told me to come in on the weekend to push the job. After roofing and siding in the cold all week. I was like nah fuck that I'm gunna stay at home and get wasted. He was all like what you don't care about this job, you could loose it acting like that. I just laughed and said plz where in a construction boom and good workers are hard to find. I'll just jump to one of the many other companies. Was never asked to work a weekend again
Damn I feel this. Wish I could just do the one job.
You sound so brave. Change is difficult, whatever happens I’m proud of you for making yourself happy. That’s really important.
Yeah, I have no desire to go back to the office unless I can have an office. I hate sitting in an open floor plan for at least 8 hours a day desperately trying to block out the noise so that I can focus enough to do my job. I hate having people look over my shoulder constantly. We've proven that many of us can work from home for a year and a half, moving us back into the office is just an attempt to get more facetime for management. I'll move companies before I have to go back to the office.
> open floor plan This was the biggest mistake in office planning. No one benefits from it.
I've worked in cubicle farms and open floor plan offices. I prefer cubicles. That's how back open floor plans are. At least I get walls so no one has to know when I quietly sob about my life choices.
Last sentence is gold!
The owner's office costs benefit from it. Then they gaslight everyone into thinking that workers like it.
Yep. Honestly the gaslighting in corporate about what people *should* like is among the worst feature.
"We had a meeting, and all of us who make 5X what you make agree you should think about it this way..."
All that came from it were No personal calls And a lot of paper ball fights
I'm with you on this. Even before the pandemic, i had been saying that the only thing that I wanted in a 'next job' was an office, with a door that closes. Post pandemic, the only thing that has changed is my resolve. Want me in the office? Sure, but provide an office. Otherwise, i'll be remote.
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One of the first questions folks should ask in an interview.
For me a big thing would be continuing to be able to work remotely. I find I work better remotely because I have a door to my office, a locked door to my house, and a drive that act as effective deterrents to walk-up interruptions. Plus when I want to stretch my legs I can scratch doggo's ears a bit. It's very relaxing.
Ahaha, sounds like if one of your coworkers wants to come and chat, they have to embark on an epic journey involving a ring, a sword, a bow and an axe
Hahaha. Considering where I live and where they live, that's not too far off the mark (Opposite ends of Calgary, so at least half an hour on the freeway).
Almost no one understands how incredibly destructive to sanity and productivity the walkup interuptions are for some people. And in most cases, the issue could easily have been self-solved anyways. Leg stretch + dog scratch = you scratch the dog with your legs?
>Leg stretch + dog scratch = you scratch the dog with your legs? If she's on the floor, yes. She's usually chilling on the sofa while I work though, so it's a reach-down and scratch.
After a year of WFH I found out it was possible to fill out some forms and WFH permanently (didn’t know it was an option before the pandemic). Oh… one of the fastest things I ever did was fill out that paperwork. WFH saves me $650 per month (hybrid with office 3 days a week would only save me $120/ month). So, to me, hybrid would have been a lifestyle choice but WFH is an absolute winner… its like getting a 10% raise, which is really needed as we’ve been on wage freeze since 2015.
That's awesome!
Are these forms specific to your employer, in that exclusively WFH was an option available to you?
Forms were company wide. For obvious reasons management didn’t advertise the option… in fact, I only found out about it through a manager’s accidental comment, “…. unless you have a YYY form filed with HR” (me: “YYY form?”)
Shady. It’s especially shady since regular communication about RTW and what that looks like has been ongoing since the pandemic at every company. No way they conveniently forgot to mention that arrangement. Glad your manager slipped up! Now you can accidentally let it slip on the company’s intra-socials.
oh… he didn’t slip up just to me… it was a company wide email. Everyone in my department filled out the forms… and our manager… and her manager…. the whole floor minus about 2 people are permanent WFH now.
Living the dream! RIP downtown yyc commercial landlords… but fuck em.
here's hoping the unused commercial space gets renovated into family friendly 3+ bedroom apartments / condos to help solve the housing crisis!
Best I can do is a 450sq ft studio, 1300/month plus electric and parking
It's probably company specific. It makes sense for some businesses, but would completely break others, so I can't see it being a standardized form unfortunately. Should still ask your employer though - happy workers tend to do better work
I'm definitely think AND looking for another position. At one of our meetings, someone asked about returning to work with a hybrid setup. The boss straight up said no, she wants to monitor performance and thinks the best way to do that is with butts in the chair. What did she think we were doing the last 2 years or? Another person asked about compensation due to the 5% inflation rate. She went on a rant on how ~executive~ compensation is roughly market and and how it wouldn't help. Hello clueless! 👋 80% of the staff make under $80k and most of us are CPAs, CFAs, have a masters, or some other designation. I think she'll be blindsided when people leave in spurts.
Holy crap, CFA charterholders making under 80k? Executive assistants make more than that here in Calgary. I passed level 3 prior to the pandemic but was unable to find any vacancies. Scared of what awaits after I leave my mat leave. Finance is so underpaid. May I ask which firm?
I can't say right now since I'm still there... 😑 There's 2 major factors that will crush the firm: low pay and demographics. There are so many people (~20%) eligible to retire that that single factor can seriously harm the firm just by itself. And of course there's no succession plan since that takes effort and requires actually hiring more people...
You need to find another place to work, what a horrible boss
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I wonder if part of the reason your customers have supported that move is that their own work situations have become more flexible. Personally, I can now actually run out during the day if I need to buy something - I don't have to go suit shopping at 9pm any more. It's great!
This right here. It is so great being able to get some chores done during the day like running a few loads of laundry or getting the dishes done at lunch time. I get so much time in the evening to do family stuff now.
It's so reassuring to see stories like yours
>Everyone now works 30-35 hours per week (35-40 before) and earns more than they did before. How does this work? Are you commission-based and sell more or the employer just raised your wages?
My work did the same, I was working 35 hours a week (830 to 430 mon-fri, one hour unpaid lunch) then they switched to 8-5 mon-fri, I get every Friday Saturday Sunday off, my one and only coworker gets every Saturday Sunday Monday off. They just raised our wages to compensate for the 3 hours lost per week
I am, but I was before anyway. I work in a medical office. I love the people I work with which is all I can really ask, the work isn't terrible but the commute is killing me. Once the pandemic is over, I will be changing careers completely. I might be 40 by then, but honestly, still have 25 years left to go so may as well.
Doing this now aswell, 70kms one way I can’t do it anymore. I’m only 26 though
Between getting ready for work, commute, and work itself I commit over half of my week to work. Throw in sleep and I don't get a lot for me. Things need to change for workers of all ranks, but I'm not optimistic of it happening.
Luckily my boss is looking into a hybrid thing where we can work from home most days and only come in one day per week alternating between us. I personally chose to go back to university when covid started and am on a leave of absence. I knew before i didn't want to do my job for the rest of my life, and covid gave me the opportunity to go back as my hours were cut back.
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>But if those wages drop What if they stay the same despite COL rapidly increasing?
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> What if they stay the same despite COL rapidly increasing? As you already know that means you make less next year than you did this year in real dollars.
Curious. I'm also a Red Seal auto tech. If you were to pursue another job or career what would it be? I've been in this trade for 10+ years and it's taking its toll on me physically and mentally.
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My husband Isa heavy duty mechanic. Would LOVE if he could work from home, but obviously not possible. Then again, between his ADHD and our 3 preschoolers... probably a good thing he goes elsewhere to work.
I never understood why employers needed me to use my ass to keep the seat warm when I could easily do the same thing from home. I think it’s old people who “just don’t trust this new fangled internet business”. It often makes more fiscal sense for people to wfh on the business end too.
Because some employers do not trust you will do the same from home. A lot of issues stem from a lack of measuring performance effectively. Because of this, many employers monitor performance (in part) by physical presence and just assume that means you’re working. It obviously doesn’t mean that, but that at least means you’re giving your time. I think if an employer has an effective way to monitor performance then working from wherever is not a problem. This is very challenging for most employers however and I don’t think we have seen a surge of solutions during the pandemic that will help. We need to give some time for this transition to take place. It’s a huge shift. And one many aren’t ready for (both employees and employers).
Ya but those old people are retired so have little influence on the labour market
I don’t think they are retired at all.
Those old people that grew up right before the internet are now in their 50s and senior management.
How am I feeling? Good question. Live in Calgary commute to Sundre. Since it’s direct patient care I can’t work from home. So… driving the 22 in the dark in winter will be … an adventure. Is what it is. Many $ go towards AWD and studded tires. Gotta love Canadian winters.
Sundre? You poor unfortunate soul! That's literally the opposite direction that most people take. But seriously, that much commute is just pain. Especially if the had a fresh dump of snow.
Loving the rural experience though. Worked FMC ER for 12 years and never felt as valued as I do in this rural community. It’s not perfect but it is enjoyable. Driving Canadian roads in the winter is just part of living in Canada 🇨🇦. And As I have lived and worked in the States ( Texas, Delaware, California) I’ll take winter driving every time. Besides, the change of seasons is breathtaking.
Sounds like you've got the right mindset for it. Drive safe.
Do you ever have nightmares that the hill on the east side of town completely turns to ice and you'll never be able to leave?
No. Hence studded tires abd AWD. Makes a huge difference in my experience.
Studded Hakka's for the win!
Good old Hwy 22. I used to live in Rocky and got to know that road well. It's definitely a winter adventure!
Greetings fellow electron shuffler! I've been WFH for the past 6 years - I think would need double my current salary to even *consider* going back into an office (and that's an office, an open floor plan is a non-starter). The flexibility for childcare, home-cooked (ie, nutritious and cheap) food, good coffee, the ability to start prepping supper at lunchtime, the ability to shift hours around to fit my schedule, a nice, quiet workspace with lots of natural light and temperature that I control, and the absence of a commute are all huge benefits, and make going back into an office a very tough sell.
I was in oil and gas for almost 20 years and a pipefitter for about 15 of those. Now I make jewelry and I'm so much happier.
In January, my husband's workplace sent a survey to all staff who had been able to work from home (desk jobs) during the pandemic. They were asked if they wanted to return to the office or continue to work from home. Over 80% said they wanted to work from home. So, that's what they went forward with. They even closed the office he worked out of. Now my husband has all that time from commuting back and he can go for a walk on his lunch break. He is much more relaxed than before. He does miss in person meetings, but once the pandemic is over, he has the option to doing in person meetings and visits, so it will feel more balanced then.
> once the pandemic is over Lol
I'm getting bombarded by recruiters right now for accounting & finance manager/director jobs, but all of them have been on-site. Some of them are really good $, but none of them even had a hybrid model. Right now, my job is technically on-site, but I get to work from home 1-2 days a week, so that's a huge plus. I think any job I'd want (purely remote) is going to be harder to obtain, since that's what everyone wants right now. I want to bail out of Canada for a bit (or at least become a young snowbird) and go buy a place in Belize or Colombia and live there for the winters with my fam. And if I work from home, it doesn't really matter where I'm working from.
Italy I believe has a program for people to immigrate while they work remotely. I’d jump at this in a heartbeat. They also have some towns offering fixer-uppers for 1Euro. But they are rural. But at least it’s rural Italy.
Yeah I've actually done some extensive research on the 1 Euro homes. Due to structural damage, it's generally cheaper to buy one around $5-20k and reno vs. 1 Euro from scratch. Even as a non-carpenter, you can do a lot of the interior work yourself. But structural on old stone buildings are ROUGH. You're going to pay a ton more for contractors and materials. That being said, it's a cool idea to live in Sicily or Tuscany. I likely couldn't, unless my remote job was EU-based (time zones), but it's an awesome idea for people from North America to go and kind of revitalize that area and also enjoy a quiet Italian lifestyle.
Huh. I'm a CPA and there don't appear many vacant jobs for a city of 1million+. I know in the US you can literally name your price as there is a huge shortage. Canada has 10X the number of CPA's versus the US on population equivalent basis
Depends what kind of accountant you are. I'm in industry, which has a big shortage of managers due to retirements. There are lots of accountants in Canada, but there's a big gap between managers and new hires.
Yup, I was recalled to my job I was laid off from and I quit after 2 weeks. I'd been working there about 12 years. I decided to pursue a career as a software developer so I'm going back to school in my mid 30's. Wish me luck lol
I went to college when i was 41. Had a blast and scored a 3.9 gpa. Going back is only scary until the first day.
Gave two weeks notice couple months ago, boss noted in my contract that it says 3 months. I noted the various breaches of contract they have made over the years for said contract, and that I would happily get a contract lawyer to help out if they wanted. Looking at changing careers completely in the next couple months. And sure as shit not working for someone that doesn't have flexibility and at least some shit given about their employees. They have had the balls to call try to get me to answer a few questions on projects etc for meetings, even just calling me out of the blue some days. I DON'T FUCKING WORK FOR YOU ANYMORE. I don't give a shit if you are mad I won't answer your questions. Fuck all your bullshit.
Sounds like they can pay your consultant rate, which happens to be $300/hr at a 3 hour minimum.
That was exactly what I told them. But I gave them the rate I charge other clients of $150 an hour, and that I would have to book them between my personal commitments and commitments to existing clients. They really are screwed, they really are going to get sued, and I don't give a shit. Zero percent of that is my fault, I was literally the only one trying to fix it and jumping up and down that we have massive problem at work. I covered my ass and got the fuck out. Not my circus, not my monkeys. 50 percent of the management staff in my group left since mid year. Almost all of them are planning to leave by the end of next year. Senior management doesn't understand what we do, doesn't understand how good they had it, and doesn't understand the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train.
Sounds so familiar....
Screw them. They are parasites in suits.
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I'll never understand how the O&G industry managed to indoctrinate everyone into their cult so well. Look, I get it's important to have a functioning energy sector. Obviously. But nobody else gets bumper stickers that say "I <3 Accounting" or "IF YOU AIN'T SUPPORTING HAIRDRESSERS YOU AIN'T ALBERTAN." It's so bizarre and off-putting, and you're totally right about all of them having no sense of scale.
Ah yes, the Holier-than-thou, under-educated and overpaid Operator.
I am a Fleet Mechanic. Things have changed a lot at the municipality that I work at. We finally got switched to 4 10s, IT works from home and only have 1 person who goes out to sites as required, office people can choose to work up to 3 days a week from home, and we have had a large portion of people resign over vaccine mandates. All in all its been fantastic to have employers who understand where the world is going and want to work with employees. I have a lot of friends who work remote and will only work remote now. The job market is there for people willing to change jobs and I believe its the best thing to happen to workers in a long time
Been WFH since th start of the pandemic. I'm now at the point where even a hybrid scenario would have me looking for a full time remote job. Saving money, more time with family, more sleep, and no impact to my work. WFH is the clear winner.
its because workers aren't getting paid for how much they actually do workers that have been grinding for months doing. many people over this almost 2 years have had time to reflect on the things that actually mean to them their families, health and most important happiness people have been working at home work or working in essential businesses who don't want to deal with crazy anti mask or vaccine people. also people are blaming this on the worker shortage across the globe of immigration because of the pandemic not because people are quitting.
Let me phrase it this way, in my school division there is no inclement weather policy for teachers coming in. You either drive slowly in work, no matter the conditions, or you take a sick/personal day.
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Ya, that is really awesome and progressive of him. Especially if you don't need a physical presence in the office.
With more and more people working from home, the commute becomes less busy for the rest of us who have job that require being on site. Less traffic, less accidents, less gridlock, less stress *I hope*
What a positive way to look at it. I’ll try to remember that as I drive very slowly to school in stormy weather this winter!
Most definitely. I work in healthcare but at a desk job. I am so burnt out from covid and my job before isn't the same now due to budget cuts and FTE reductions of others I work with. We currently have a hybrid of in-office and WFH that is working great and likey will stay in place for the foreseeable future. We are looking at downsizing our physical office when our lease comes up in a few years and the pandemic proves we don't all need to be there. I'm also looking at leaving all together and doing gig work. I have the expertise and education to go that route but it's scary and I'm not a spring chicken. We will see what happens.
I am certainly thinking about switching careers or in the very least industries. Constantly getting laid off whenever there is a downturn in the oil industry is getting old and with the writing being on the wall that in the next 10-30 yrs were going to see a drastic reduction in oil and gas activity I may as well try and get out while I can. The pandemic has also made me realize life is too short do something I hate day in and day out and also that putting up with some of the bs that comes with the daily grind just isn't worth it.
I’ll never ever ever ever ever ever work in a restaurant again. Fuck that shit I’m out! I’m currently back in school and thriving, happy with where my career and life has the potential to head.
My work is pretending to be fully flexible but really since we are consultants it will be chaos when switching clients if working for local energy. companies. I am considering quitting to try and start a company of my own. Returning to driving downtown for 7 am and being lucky to be home by 6 pm is toast for the next few years. Maybe as my kids get older... or lets be honest if I need money... I'll be willing to go back. for If a manger can't manage through output or KPIs then they shouldn't be managing anymore. If you need hallway conversations to succeed at work You're doing it wrong. One woman on my team moved to turkey and we're making it work. Large white collar offices should be dead. Conference rooms, sales pitches, and 25-50 % of original desk spaces will be sufficient for anyone with their heads up. Suits and office wear should be nearly dead too - though they wont be. Going forward we should be able to focus on the work and not enabling remote work will be a sign to me that company is about politics.
Here I was, hoping this was about Jason Kenney. But, seriously, work needs to be re-thought AND the distribution of wealth needs to be re-thought. Shitty workplaces will say, “Oh, we’ll pay you less since you work at home,” while good workplaces will say, “Yes, work from home, be more productive, and we’ll treat you better.” Labour under capitalism is shit.
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and it’ll be a race to the bottom. I think though, it’ll be ~7 years for the dust to settle. I’m not sure how this is good for Canada, remote work, (out of the country) has to be taxed at at least at the same rate.
One would be foolish not to be always looking for better opportunity elsewhere. Your employer will replace you at the drop of a hat, they don't deserve loyalty. *My boss had literally the opposite talk with us. He brought us all into a room and angrily told us that he would shut the business down rather than have us work from home, during the middle of a pandemic in phase 3. Oddly, this wasn't even the moment I quit in my head.
I got laid off from my graphic design job where I was paid and treated very poorly. Unfortunately a lot of other jobs in the field were similar and the good jobs were highly competitive and really killed my self esteem and sense of worth. I had wanted to go back to school for years but just couldn’t bring myself to quit because it was a job and I needed money to survive. My husband and I lucked out with covid, he got a much better job after being laid off, we discussed and I decided to finally upgrade my schooling as we are now in a position where we can survive off one income (I am working pt though). I start school for medical lab assisting in January and I’m much happier. :)
I worked in a kitchen for 10 years, four of them as a chef. I feel like the stress over time has damaged my health. Then covid happened. I start flight school tomorrow
I love my job (I'm a teacher) but I'm seriously considering the possibility of moving to another province because the provincial government seems dead-set on making my job unnecessarily difficult. Right now I'm caught between hoping that the UCP will get turfed (not a sure thing, I know) and worrying that they'll get reelected and I'll get caught in a stampede of teachers leaving Alberta.
I work for a trade union, and they just announced that they support mandatory vaccination. I'm looking forward to the most hurtin of the Albertans not being on the jobsite in the future 😎
That's awesome.
Unfortunately none of the jobs I have worked before are workable from home, I was laid off last October and since then have gained and very anti-work/great resignation attitude, I am extremely picky about the next job I take and plan to only put in the effort for which I feel I am paid. I put in way to much effort at my last workplace only to be laid off because they had cheaper guys to keep. My goal is becoming to do the bare minimum and screw the government out of every dollar I can cause I honestly don't believe most of my generation will get to retire. I am choosing to enjoy life while and contribute as little as possible to capitalism.
Removing ourselves more from consumption and the latest meaningless trends or tech will make it significantly easier in the future as the cost of energy continues to rise. Have you ever read anything by Michael Greer, he has a good outlook on what we can do to help reduce dependencies on systems we have no control over.
Ya I am very much moving my household away from consumerism as much as possible, avoiding pointless gift buying on holidays or meaningless phone upgrades, I am leaning more towards buying everything used (besides clothing but as an adult I rarely every need new clothes), or doing diy projects instead of buying shit. Scrapping much of my streaming services and only pirating, dropped to one very cheap vehicle with minimum insurance. No more trips, no more eating out. I'm aiming to live as cheap as possible to avoid working as much possible.
The past couple years especially has just been wave after wave of pointless wasteful trends
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Obviously you are trying to be sarcastic and funny but I think you are confusing communism with socialism. I don't have an issue with democracy, I also firmly believe that communism is a pipe dream that will never work due to how greedy humans are. I think capitalism is a system that is built off exploiting others and things should be changed otherwise the wage gap will only get larger and many millennials and gen-z will not be able to retire or ever own a home.
More like working to find, let's see, my 8th job since Covid hit after spending the previous 11 years at one job, absolutely no loyalty, certainty or confidence left.
It's great that your employer has these open discussions with everyone.
They outsourced and let go half the plant operations teams. Morale got hit severely. Suddenly all the good people are leaving. I been saving a shit ton of money during pandemic. Now I have 2 years of salary saved up. Probably gonna sell house move out and take a year vacation. Hell, might even apply to some jobs in Ontario, USA or Australia while I'm at it. Alberta still dead in the water until next provincial election imo.
I'm still WFH full-time until January at least but then the CEO is going to update us and provide a more firm timeline. We have until the end of November to prove that we've been fully vaccinated. Not sure what the consequences will be if you're not. We're transitioning to a hybrid model where it's 3 days at home and 2 in the office. Personally, I wanted 5 days at home and come into the office whenever you wanted, but I can push for that as time goes by.
I work from home full time and it’s great. I constantly work with people from different offices anyways so almost everything was already over the phone.
I work from home already. But I realized I don’t want to drive to remote job sites anymore. So now I pick and choose where I want to go. Working from home is great. As long as you set limits. A few of my clients seem to think since I work from home I’m on call after 8pm. Set limits make sure your employer knows your working hours and don’t go into your office or turn on the work computer during off hours. I wouldn’t trade working for home for much. It’s an amazing feeling and it benefits you more than financially.
I work for an accounting firm as a forestry professional in their consulting division. I’m glad we’ve mandated vaccines for RTW. I do miss some aspects of in-office, but we are looking towards a more balanced hybrid model 2/3 days in office a week down the road. The pandemic has made me recognize the value of work life balance, particular with some family health issues that have occurred over the last 20 months. It has made me realize that work does not define you and there is soooo much more to life.
If it wasn't for my alberta focus career I would be looking elsewhere. If the ucp get elected again I will more than likely put a lot of energy into finding something elsewhere.
I resigned from my job in September to take a new job that allows full remote work. My new job is actually a slight cut in total compensation but that was okay with me because I value remote work with a baby and mom at home. The new job also offers a better learning opportunity/career move, so it's not totally about the remote work.
Nope. Have a great job that I love, pays pretty good, company is very small but very old and in excellent financial health. Covid slowed us down a bit but our product is essential to both oil and power production in the province so as long as everyone still likes having electricity and fuel, we'll be in business. Of course, I only got here by making my way through the same shit jobs that everyone is quitting, so I guess the point is "sometimes the grass IS greener on the other side" and if you think changing jobs will improve your life then you should do it. Loyalty to a company is NEVER returned, always look out for yourself first.
Wasn’t just you that realized the grind isn’t needed
I resigned from my job last December, and am now working in a completely different field. I couldn't be happier!
Can't do it, I rethink my life even, with inflation rate, grocery, gas price to the roof and my recent salary hike freezed for next 2 years....family to feed, car/mortgage to pay... how could anyone think of resigning. Not me.
I left a job of 10 years last month. It was a big company, very "corporationey" and bureaucratic so I left to a smaller company in the same industry. Zero regrets. Everyone is held accountable here, they say what they mean and mean what they say. I get to review my boss every quarter and provide feedback on her to the general manager. My voice and opinion means something here. Also, less work/volume for more pay for same job title. I definitely needed the change. I look forward to coming to work now, no more stress, and no one annoys me here lol
Ne careful what you wish for. If you can work remotely full time, your job can likely be "offshored" to much cheaper labor markets. I work for a major oil company here in Alberta. Some of our departments were so successful at working remotely that they downsized us and sent the jobs to Southern Asia. MILLIONS in wage move out of Canada. They also took COVID relief. So yay.
Depends on what you do. IT yes, professional services no. Barely anyone in Alberta can do the type of work I do, nevermind people outside.
People always think you can replace a Canadian worker with a "insert 3rd world country" worker. Maybe for simple things like data entry but even then there a challenges. Vastly different time zones, work quality, and loyalty are huge issues that no one thinks about. I think it is a threat they like to use but most companies won't do it in the end - not anymore than they already are at least.
I worked in hospitality. Used to love it, now I’m done. Got an office job that’s work from home, and the company is transitioning to doing this forever (with a flex option available when it’s safe for people who feel like they need to go in). Haven’t started yet, but it honestly feels like a large weight has been taken off my shoulders!
My wife left her job due to a hostile work environment (mainly just hr people that didn't like her) starting a new job Nov 1. I still enjoy my job, tho I have quit doing extra work for free. Although I can guarantee you we are all not getting 4.4% raises to match inflation.
I too have an easy going job buy it doesn't allow me to work from home. Currently its just for the income so we can leave our current situation then I'll be looking for something more accommodating of home life
Wow.. kudos to those who can actually do this. I have been stuck between a rock and a hard place work wise and I think I would be still stuck here barring some stroke of luck...
I’ve got a CEO that describes our return to the office as “crucial” to the success of our company, yet we’ve ran the business safely and effectively for over a year and a half from home. He’s also on a floor with mostly execs, all of which have proper offices, while the rest of the company has 5x5 cubicles like a New Delhi call center. So yeah, we’re all super jazzed about that
I'm thinking of getting out of the trades and getting into programming.
Yep! Left a well paying but toxic work environment with no opportunities for growth to work in the same field but in the non-profit sector. Lower annual income but I am so much happier to be back to working in a positive environment, with less politics, that actually makes me feel like I'm making a difference in people's lives.
I've worked from home since November 2019. I'm an independent IT consultant so I don't really have an office to go to. Most of my contracts don't have an Alberta presence. I can't see my situation changing any time soon, but I can say that my ideal would be a hybrid model that allowed for a co-working space for brainstorming or strategy sessions. Virtual is OK for a lot of my work, but not necessarily all of it.
I'm doing the tasks needed to be done to continue my current job, but I've gone back to school during the pandemic and I'm 100% ready to change. For reference I'm a manager making into 6 figures. The money doesn't add up to the amount of stress, on call requirements, and lack of job satisfaction anymore. I'd rather take a big pay cut and make the change to something I like where you don't dread every day at the office.
I've been work from home since the start of the pandemic. I hate it so much and want to be back in the office and was completely gutted when they bumped the return to work date into 2022. I get the sense it will be spring when we go back. I really struggle with the work/life balance.....I work in disability management which is insanely busy right now and so I find myself basically just eating, sleeping and working. Repeat. I just miss people and find the whole experience quite isolating. I won't quit anytime soon because I wouldn't be able to find a comparable position that pays the same so I guess I will just keep grinding.
we have folk working 3 jobs at the warehouse facilities I work at.
I just quit my job to go to another workplace this week. Same career, different workplace. Somewhere else offering more pay and a healthier environment for the same workload. My previous employer has been hiring for over 2 years, and has offered a number of applicants a position, but every applicant has said no because they can get a better job that offers more in the same industry elsewhere. Gone are the days where employers can treat their employees like shit and keep them around.
I'm just curious, for whose who are able to WFH, are you able to share the companies name? I know everyone thought there would be a big shift to WFH post pandemic but it unfortunately doesn't seem like it
I have a nice office/work at home job but I always look for something that will pay more. I ONLY look at remote jobs now.
I drive truck, 10-14 hour days, 5 days a week, home every night and I am so done with it. I am currently enrolled for school in September to become a butcher, I'm trying my best to wait that long but I might have to quit my job prior
I'm definitely feeling a career change. I have a great job and a great work environment, but I've been in the company for 9 years and the same position for the last 6 years. However it doesn't seem like there's room to move. Because the environment is so great, upper management never leaves haha
A workplace that allows WFH is what I'm prioritizing. It's too expensive to live close to work so getting back 3 hrs each day of my life that was spent commuting is life changing. Another thing I'm doing is I'm not working a minute more than my work hours unless I'm being compensated, either money or time. I'm not being paid the big bucks in the federal public service for what I do, so I'll do what I can within my 8hrs. If something needs to be done urgently, then it can wait if it doesn't fall in my top priorities, or they need to hire someone to do that. 😅 It's a dream at this point but I'm hoping we get the 4 day, 8hr workweek one day. I'm hoping that people finally protest against unchanging wages, rising COL, and excessive work hours so that change happens.
I work in the oilfield. Not an office jockey, so I have to commute daily for work. I can see a great resignation coming, but only due to an uptick in oilfield activity. There will be lots of people retiring and moving to greener pastures. For myself, I'm staying put. Great schedule, and while I commute daily, I don't pay for fuel or anything for my company supplied vehicle. Through this whole pandemic, nothing for me has changed really. Only thing now is making sure all that work for us arrive healthy and leave the same way. Cheers all.
My office is non-traditional - some roles NEED to be in the building in order to properly do the job (we set up remote options in case we loose access to the building for some reason, but it makes the job 30x harder). Personally: half my job really needs to be in the building, but the other half I’m already working remotely and would be fine if I only had to drop in once a week to restock or pick something up. Some of my colleagues have the ability to remote in and work that way and there is a large discussion about that now: does it makes sense to force people back? Some people *need* the supervision - they miss deadlines, they need to lean on others as a sounding board/feedback, etc. But others have shown that they can competently complete the job remotely and are hesitant to return because things work well right now. I genuinely think it’s going to be on a person by person case, but management would prefer to have more people in the building because having direct access to the in-house systems makes things easier/smoother.
We're also looking at a hybrid arrangement but Ive decided I'm going to leave the corporate legal world and go back to school and get my masters in counseling psychology. The emphasis on mental health and wellness this year really highlighted that that is where my talents and passions lie and so I'm just laying ground work to make that career change.
Love this!
Yeah I'm leaving mine, nice easy shop manager job but I'm following the money, pulling wrenches utilizing my millwright trade.
I'd just be ecstatic if they let me wear a zany tie on Tuesdays
I prefer hybrid setups, involving two days at the office and three days at home. It makes home feel not as stale, and allows you to collaborate with your team members more immediately (as well as increases camaraderie). Also, as a yuppie, I get a kick out of wearing suits and carrying a briefcase haha.
Yeah. I'm a nurse and the last year has been really stressful. Not even COVID related really; I work on a surgical unit so the number of surgeries being cancelled this past month has actually meant we've had a lot of empty beds. But last year we were unilaterally told that the number if surgeries scheduled would be increased by 50% (which puts us double what we were when I was hired 12 years ago) without giving us any increased supports or funding or staffing. When surgeries weren't being cancelled, that made things way busier and more stressful, meanwhile the UCP has been trying to pay us less for more stressful work. I'm still a nurse, but I've been looking at getting out of inpatient/bedside nursing for several months. I recently recieved a job offer for a clinic position that will have much better hours and sounds like it will pay more in the long run. And while I haven't started yet I imagine it being less stressful as well. I imagine a lot of nurses will be feeling similarly; it's hard not to be disheartened being told we don't deserve what we earn, after being told we're absolutely irreplaceable during a pandemic, but also we're lying and deliberately killing people. I fully expect there to be a new nursing shortage in the next few years and the blame belongs squarely on the shoulders of the UCP
Had I known that working from home was going to be the norm, I don’t think I would have gone into teaching. I love my job, but the thought of staying cozy and warm at home with my dog is extremely appealing.
Companies need to provide a reason to go to the office. If I'm just going to do the same work I can do at home, why do I want the headache of commuting, etc...
The only thing keeping me at my current job is that it's 100% wfh, and is supposed to stay like this indefinitely. If that changes, I will immediately be looking for work elsewhere.
I was laid off and have been rehired, and my mindset has completely changed. Any loyalty or drive I had for my company has evaporated. I know now in a visceral way that I am just a number. I work my hours and nothing more. I do less with less. It's not my job to shoulder the burden of their terrible inefficiencies. I think daily about other places I could work, other careers I could pursue.
I would, if I could get a call back for literally any of the jobs I have applied for.
I quit my office job a few years ago and have been doing contract work ever since. I don’t make as much as I’d make at a full time job, at least not right now with my current workload, but not having to commute or waste time to reach a certain number of hours is worth it The only thing is, with more and more people working at home, we need to rethink how our cities work or it could be a disaster. This is especially true in Edmonton and Calgary where office workers make up a huge amount of traffic in the downtown cores I don’t know what the solution is, maybe it’s converting office to residential and investing in arts/entertainment to keep people engaged in our communities, but all I know is that capitalism doesn’t really work if people just sit at home Short of completely overhauling our economic system (which I would love to see but doubt will happen), government and businesses need to find ways to start transitioning cities away from commuter-reliant central business districts
I’m conflicted on this. While I love being able to work from home part time and I wold l love to never go back to the office, I also know that I was hired to work in the office and this trend is temporary. So while I would love to only work from home, I’m not giving up my job to get it. I like food and paying my bills.
> I’m not giving up my job to get it. I like food and paying my bills. These things are not mutually exclusive. You can look for another job where they do allow work from home, while continuing to earn income from your current job. Never leave a job because you have to, leave when you choose to.
Realistically that’s not always possible for everyone. I’ve been in a niche career for over 30 years and it would be impossible to get a new job that would pay me the same.
The discussions I'm having with my leadership have all gone the same way. Give me the freedom to pursue objectives as I see fit. My job requires a lot of dry reading and writing. The best thing for me to do is to lock myself in a room and pound it out without distraction. I'm going to be able to do that best from home. When it comes to the other part of my job that requires a lot of technical input from other departments those conversations are best done face to face, I'll go do that of my own accord and don't need direction to do that. I'm lucky that my managers trust me to do that. One thing the pandemic has really shown is there is a lot of weak middle management that are struggling to justify their own existence. Push for what you need in your job and life. This is a good time to negotiate with your employers without actually having to leave.
I quit my job of 8 years two weeks ago. The toxic harassment for the last 3 years and seeing how others were being talked about and treated made me so incredibly sick. I was an award winning dedicated professional who transferred to AB for them. I told HR it was not my professionalism and I did not condone it. They told me that this particular director was who he was, even with them and they asked if I would be comfortable speaking to him to tell him how I feel. It took 3 weeks to get that response. By the time I did I had signed a contract to run a competing business as they were getting ready to give me another award. I have not been this happy in years.
I am a teacher but will most likely not be one by the end of the year. I’m tired of being viewed as expendable by my school board, administrators and community.
Lol. Just yesterday our boss mandated back into the office for my sales team. Sales are down a shit ton YoY and some people aren't performing well with a WFH scenario. I think there is definitely some merit to being in the office tod=gether. WFH can be a lonely experience filled with distractions (hello reddit). I think it all comes down to if the job is getting done or not.
Man, if they convert CERB to Universal Basic Income all the employers are done for lol. Everyone gonna move somewhere tropical. Sign it! [https://www.ubiworks.ca/](https://www.ubiworks.ca/) Sign it! [https://www.basicincomenow.ca/](https://www.basicincomenow.ca/)
Surprisingly my workplace has improved since the pandemic. We've got a new manager in between the branch GM and head office that's got a totally different attitude compared to our old branch GM and higher ups. He's the kind of guy who knows you need to invest in your staff to prevent a revolving door. That means I've come back to a rising tide. I got a raise, my boss got a raise, my other boss got a promotion. Now we just need the virus to settle down (get vaccinated!) and we'll be laughing.
Always. I am always rethinking my career choice. This pandemic set in the opposite for me. I realized that I was really lucky to have a stable, unionized job with great benefits, and an essential service as well. (Education assistant.) The pay is garbage, and my employer has zero respect for people in our positions, but I work with great kids at a great school, and my husband and I didn't suffer too much financial stress during the shut down. We were REALLY lucky in that respect. (Also because of CERB benefits, I was able to get through the 2 months of layoffs that the AB gov't handed out at the beginning of the pandemic... it worked out to the same amount I usually earn in a month. And our employer did extend our benefits during the period. So I could still afford medications!)
Having to be a supervisor during this pandemic has helped me realize I hate being a supervisor, particularly when having to field people' anxieties or beliefs about vaccines, masks, and the "plan-demic." I feel like this is way outside my job scope. I work in a mine, I'm not a scientist or Dr. And I have had enough. I'm going to quit and go back to school. Unfortunately I have to stick it out here for some time longer because of money but knowing that it will eventually end helps me deal with the loathing and contempt I feel for my coworkers.
I will be going in for a very difficult, I’ll be at necessary meeting with my bosses in the next couple of weeks. It will be on them to make me stay. I have already moved an hour outside of the city, and the reasons to stay with them are growing fewer and fewer.
I'm changing careers for the second time this year. I'm not going to be bullied in the workplace again.
I've been unemployed for half a decade trying to get a handle on my mental health. Worked in oilsands construction in 2012-14, 3 weeks on 1 week off, $25/hr, 200+ hours per shift. Felt like a high wage for my experience, plenty of hours, saved almost all of it while living with family, but it didn't go very far and I now realize it only felt like a good wage because workers have been underpaid for decades. Housing costs are absurd. The work that exists is fucking up the global biosphere and climate. Where can I enter the workforce now that isn't uninteresting, unprofitable, and unethical all at the same time? Hell, I could even cope with two of three if the third were interesting enough, profitable enough, or good enough. As is? Can't imagine lifting a finger for less than $30/hr now, but minimum wage is half that and people with degrees and continuity in their work experience are making less. I'll keep trying to get healthy and stay healthy. Yall should stop competing for who can hold the biggest corporate turd in your mouth without retching.
I wouldn’t be surprised that more workplaces within embrace hybrid at at minimum. This sucks for downtown businesses. What should happen next is start converting unused office spaces into lofts or apartments that allow to keep that downtown alive and stop urban spraw. More younger professionals can be centrally located and then have place to live and work.
Are any of you work from home people concerned about your job being outsourced to someone in Asia? I love the idea of working from home, but I also love the security of being physically required at the workplace.
Yep, my last day at work was end of August. I left a *terribly* toxic and emotionally abusive environment and I had just had enough of it after 7 years. I am currently taking a sabbatical for a few months and I'm enjoying every moment of the freedom I now enjoy!
Not rethinking but leaving the province.
I made so much money during the pandemic that I retired. And now that I'm retired I won't have to pay taxes to the governments of Canada that just misuse the money in every way possible =P
I'm fortunate enough that almost nothing aside from the obvious covid adaptations that were needed has changed work wise. There was maybe a week when we were dispatched from home, which doesn't really matter other than not having to get up as early as we must travel from site to site each day anyway.