Canadian Businesses Can Now Compare How Their Culture Stacks Up Against Companies, At A Time When The Country Is Experiencing A Major Labour Shortage
BRITISH COLUMBIA – Canadian businesses can now assess workplace culture and compare how they stack up against some of the most innovative companies in the country thanks to the official launch of The Canadian Workplace Culture Index (CWCI).
CWCI consists of an index, research and certification program that will provide insights into workplace culture, help employers nurture exceptional organizational culture, and share strategies on how to better retain talent. Developed by the The ReFrame Group and research support provided by The Angus Reid Institute, CWCI launches at a time when Canadian employers from various industries are experiencing a major labour shortage, dubbed by media “The Great Resignation.”
“The CWCI is the only certification of its kind that compares honest anonymous employee feedback to an index of Canadian employees’ attitudes to workplace culture,” says CWCI founder and CEO Antonio Zivanovic. “When a workplace culture is improved, it has a profound effect on the productivity and creativity of a company’s workforce and, in turn, the profitability and growth rates of that organization. It will also help employers stand out among the competition fighting over the same talent.”
CWCI Research shows that 60 per cent of Canadians say they’d leave their current job for a 10 per cent raise
The CWCI will also publish an annual report on the state of workplace culture in Canada. The report outlines research results and major trends identified by the index and provides organizations with a report on their specific workplace culture compared against an index updated each year by The Angus Reid Institute.
Some interesting insights from the first CWCI Report issued in 2021 include:
- 60 per cent of Canadians say they’d leave their current job for a 10 percent raise;
- More than 30 per cent of Canadians believe that people get away with bullying at their organizations;
- More than a third of Canadians believe that senior managers don’t make an effort to listen and check in with and connect with employees.
“Exceptional organizational culture enriches the human experience, but also does so much more than that for companies,” says CWCI managing director Kemp Edmonds. “Studies have shown that employees are more likely to join and less likely to leave organizations with a strong culture and that those organizations also generate up to five times more revenue and increase company value.”
CWCI Develops First-of-its-Kind National Benchmark
The CWCI partnered with Angus Reid to survey more than 1,000 Canadians about workplace culture in May 2021 in order to establish the national benchmark, also known as the Index.
Organizations of 10 or more employees can certify themselves as workplace culture leaders by comparing themselves to the benchmark. This is done through a quick (average of 5 minutes) employee survey that measures the attitudes of Canadian employees towards their workplace in terms of recognition, loyalty, diversity, equity, inclusion and other key focus areas. The survey is done through an online chat system.
Within 14 days of survey completion, registrant companies receive a customized culture report, executive summary, actionable insights to improve, and more.
Certified businesses will be automatically listed on the CWCI, which provides companies with an opportunity to differentiate their organization to potential new hires and promote their commitment to a people- and culture-first values system not only to existing employees but to potential future hires as well.
The entire program would not have been possible without the support of founding sponsors: Equitable Life of Canada, Homewood Health, The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, Tracesafe and the Government of British Columbia. Companies already certified by the CWCI and recognized as innovators in workplace culture include ReFrame, Watson Gloves, Jelly Digital Marketing & PR, Skipper Otto and MyHSA.
