Employees expected to attend office Chistmas party
More than half of managers whose company organizes a Christmas party say there is no formal rule requiring employees to attend. Nevertheless, 41% of respondents in an OfficeTeam poll said that an appearance is expected. Parties allow employees to get to know their co-workers and bosses on a more personal level, in order to make work more pleasant and productive. Festivities take the form of an off-site party for 48% of respondents, an on-site party or lunch for 36%, putting up of decorations for 31% and informal gift exchanges for 18%.
Minimum wage at $9.50 an hour in British Columbia
The second increase in minimum wage came into force at the beginning of November in British Columbia, going from $8.75 to $9.50 an hour. The tip wage will be a minimum of $8.75 an hour. Earlier this year, Premier Christy Clark announced his intention to gradually increase the minimum wage, which had been frozen at $8 for almost 10 years (the lowest in Canada). The President of the B.C. Federation of Workers, Jim Sinclair, noted that some employers do not comply with the minimum wage, but that this is difficult to track, given that some controllers’ positions had been cut. The third and final increase will bring to minimum wage to $10.25 in B.C.
Canadian GDP up in 2010
Statistics Canada has just announced that gross domestic product (GDP) increased in all Canadian provinces in 2010. It increased 3.2% nationally, after decreasing 2.8% in 2009. Canadian business investments increased in three main categories: residential buildings, non-residential structures and machinery and equipment. On the goods and services side, exports increased 6.4%, after decreasing 14% in 2009. The resource-based economies of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador recorded increases in real GDP higher than the national average.
Canadians plan to continue to work after retirement
According to a CIBC poll, most Canadians intend to continue working after retirement. 45% of 1,800 respondents said they work part time after retiring, 24% said they would occasionally do consulting work, 9% would start a new business, and 8% said they would continue to work full time. Retirees were most likely to remain in the labour force (80%) in British Columbia. Results also depended on age, with 80% of 18- to 24-years-olds planning to work after retirement, vs. 68% of 45- to 54-year-olds.
Young people’s salary expectations way off the mark
According to a study by three Canadian researchers as part of the Generational Career Shift Project, students expect average first-year salaries of $48,860 for men and $42,060 for women. While this is not unrealistic, after five years workers aged 19–31 expect to make $84,868 a year for men, and $67,766 a year for women, representing respective annual increases of 14.8% and 12.8%. This is far too optimistic, given that real salary increases in Canada were about 3% in 2010 and 2011. In addition, students anticipated peak salaries of $171,036 a year for men and $125,664 for women; in fact, only 4% of Canadians earn more than $100,000 a year.
40 million jobs short
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the global economy will need 80 million jobs over the next two years to reach pre-recession levels. If the situation continues to evolve at the current rate, however, only 40 million jobs will be created. ILO attributes this economic slowdown to isolation—while countries tried to coordinate their economic policies in 2008, in the G20 especially, they are now acting separately. The organization advises concerted effort by governments to reach job creation goals.