wellness Archives - Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie

Quality of Work – New Local Survey

by WPBGE | Jul 14, 2022 | Press Release

The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie has launched a new survey that is digging into how people perceive quality of work at their current or past workplaces.

Quality of work typically refers to a combination of things like a job’s income and benefits, job security, chance for promotion, opportunities to use skills, workplace culture and more.

For the last few years, our annual employer survey results have highlighted the growing obstacles that businesses face in finding and retaining suitable employees. Turnover triggered by quits, workplace culture and lack of work-life balance has been increasing and this has significant impacts on business operations.

With the added volatility of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to better understand the factors that influence quality of work, and to scope out the opportunities, challenges and barriers to supporting the Grand Erie labour market.

We will be examining the “quality of work” amongst workers within six industries in the Grand Erie area (healthcare and social assistance, retail trade, construction, manufacturing, accommodation and food services and agriculture.) The research will be carried out through a workforce survey that will measure the quality of work along 6 dimensions defined by Statistics Canada.

With this survey, we want to better understand what people value in a job, the workplace and their leaders. It is important to hear from workers, what attracts them to apply for a job and to stay in a job.

Many employers are experiencing labour shortages and they are competing for workers. Having a reputation of providing a good work culture and jobs can make a business stand out. The survey should help businesses, community organizations and local government learn more about what workers value in a workplace, and could prompt changes that strengthen quality of work.

Employers may learn what improvements or best practices they can implement in their workplace to give workers a stronger incentive to stay. And a good quality of work and work-life balance at a workplace can be a big selling point to potential new hires.

Individuals who complete the survey may find themselves better equipped to open up conversations with their managers about how their work quality can be enhanced. Results may also help those looking for work to identify industries that best support their quality of work goals.

Further, data collected through this survey can help community organizations/government develop better, more targeted programs and services to support our workforce’s needs.

The survey, which takes about 15 minutes to complete, is open to employees and job seekers 15 years and older who lives in Brantford, Six Nations, New Credit and Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk counties and will be running until September of this year. Those who complete the survey will have a chance to win a prize in a weekly draw.

The research project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre, a forward-looking organization that prototypes, tests and measures new and innovative approaches to skills development across Canada. To learn more about Future Skills Centre, visit: fsc-ccf.ca

Thank you to our survey sponsors:

Seasons Retirement Community in Brantford hiring

by WPBGE | Nov 10, 2021 | Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

About Seasons: Established in 2009, Seasons is a Canadian company that owns and operates senior retirement communities in Ontario and Alberta. Driven by their corporate vision to “Connect, Care, Change,” Seasons’ management team has developed a culture that is dedicated to providing residents with superior customer service. They want their residents to feel proud to call Seasons home and to know they are surrounded by people who genuinely care.

Where they are located: 55 Diana Avenue, Brantford. Set in a quiet, residential neighbourhood in the west end of Brantford, surrounded by landscaped gardens, Seasons Brantford is a short drive to local shopping, restaurants and city amenities. The community includes townhomes and suites with patios as an option for independent living.

Values: Seasons believes that every team member plays an important role in the overall happiness of their residents. They strive to foster a culture of growth and support for their team members. There are numerous examples of service team members who have been with Seasons since they opened and many who have moved upwards to different opportunities in the company as they further their career goals.

Seasons strives for service excellence and hires individuals who are committed to building meaningful relationships with residents, team members and visitors. Keen attention to details, going the extra mile and putting a little “wow” into everything they do is the Seasons way. They offer job training and skill development that helps their employees prepare for advancement.

Rated as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, Seasons is honoured to be among the best-in-class Canadian-owned and managed companies demonstrating leadership in strategy, capabilities and innovation, culture and commitment, and financials to achieve sustainable growth. Seasons was also certified as a Great Place to Work® in 2021 for a second consecutive year. This includes being recognized as one of the Best Workplaces in Healthcare.

Whether you are interested in care, dining services, recreation, sales, business or environmental management, Service Team Member and Service Team Leader level positions are available at various Seasons Retirement Communities right now!

Apply today: https://www.seasonsretirement.com/company/careers/

Also visit Grand Erie Jobs – the biggest career and job site in our region.

Work-Life balance survey launched

by WPBGE | May 19, 2021 | Press Release

A new Workforce Planning Board survey is asking local residents about challenges they face achieving a healthy work-life balance.

The Navigating Work-Life Balance in Grand Erie survey is aimed at adults in Brantford, Six Nations, New Credit, and the counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.

Executive Director Danette Dalton said the pandemic has drawn additional attention to the subject of work-life balance, especially with more people working from home and students of all ages taking online classes.

“It can be tricky balancing work life and home life at any time, especially with so many demands on our time,” Dalton said. “We want to hear directly from individuals so we can better understand what factors are causing stress and imbalance in the lives of workers.”

Dalton said work-life balance can be impacted by many things: money, job insecurity, shift work, family responsibilities, physical and mental health, and more.

The survey will provide information that could be used by individuals to make changes in their lives, or to identify supports workers may need from employers or community organizations, she said.

“Employees, employers, families and the community all benefit by supporting healthy work-life balance. There’s a large return on investment for everyone.”

The Workforce Planning Board hopes to have at least 500 surveys completed over the next few months. All information collected is confidential.

People who complete the survey are eligible for weekly prizes that promote a healthy lifestyle. Prizes include a Fitbit, child and youth bikes, and gift cards for community businesses.

The Workforce Planning Board thanks community partners for their support.