Humi Unveils New Data in 2021 People Report

  • A survey of Canadian companies reveals that the impact COVID-19 had on the way people work has continued into 2021, creating significant opportunities for companies to lead in the areas of compensation and benefits, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and the complete employee experience and journey.

Humi, Canada’s leading HR, payroll, insurance and benefits software, today announces the release of their 2021 People Report that reveals new data on the current state of the workplace in Canada. The report identifies the major trends and shifts across HR and people management including, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the workplace, compensation and benefits, parental leave, remote work, and HR software.

“The percentage of companies who do not have an EDI policy is alarming. Employers have an opportunity to differentiate themselves by offering benefits that will improve the lives of their employees inside and outside of the workplace – including offerings that address both physical and mental wellbeing”

Findings from the report are based on data collected from over 4,000 small to medium-sized Canadian businesses that use the Humi platform. The data suggest that the impact COVID-19 had in 2020 on the way people work has continued into 2021. Key findings include:

  • 49.3 per cent of respondents don’t have an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) policy
  • Only 21 per cent of respondents have women in C-suite positions
  • The average salary increase women saw in 2021 was 5.3 per cent while men saw a 10.3 per cent salary increase
  • 21.9 per cent of respondents are considering a four day work week model
  • 62.6 per cent of respondents are moving to a hybrid work model
  • 67 per cent  of respondents who indicated they were excited to go back to the office said that it was solely due to seeing their coworkers again

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Compensation and benefits can be a secret weapon in attracting and retaining talent

Almost all companies (94 per cent) indicated that their company offered a benefits plan. However, the majority (53.6 per cent) of companies shared their benefits premiums with employees, with only 42.2 per cent of companies paying for the full cost of benefits premiums. The approach to parental leave was similar with 64 per cent of companies not offering a maternity and paternity leave policy above the Employment Standards Act (ESA) requirement.

“The percentage of companies who do not have an EDI policy is alarming. Employers have an opportunity to differentiate themselves by offering benefits that will improve the lives of their employees inside and outside of the workplace – including offerings that address both physical and mental wellbeing,” said Andrea Bartlett, Director of People Operations at Humi. “Employers need to be attuned with what is important to their employees and this data shows that there is ample opportunity for companies to improve the employee experience, and those who don’t, will fall behind.”

Best-in-class HR and people management practices are critical to a company’s survival

“As many companies began to recover from the economic impact of COVID-19, the demand for talent skyrocketed,” said Simon Bourgeois, CEO and Co-Founder at Humi. “The dial has been turned up with regards to recruiting process speed and hiring packages. It’s not just about salaries anymore. Canadians are recognizing the value of work-life engagement, a better and more robust compensation package, and the value of feeling like they belong. At the end of the day, your people are your greatest assets and as leaders, it’s our responsibility to create a workplace that supports our people.”

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Additional survey highlights include:

  • 18 per cent of respondents offered “flexible Fridays” in Summer 2021, however, only 12.2 per cent of those will continue to offer it beyond Summer 2021.
  • In March 2020, before the pandemic, only 38.6 per cent of respondents had a remote work policy.
  • After March 2020, 80.1 per cent of companies had a remote work policy.
  • There has been an upward trend in the number of respondents who are adopting a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) with 45.6 per cent of respondents using an HRIS in 2019, 64.6 per cent in 2020, and 78.7 per cent in 2021.

The data for the report was pulled between January 2021 to October 2021 and represents data from over 4,000 small to medium-sized Canadian businesses that use the Humi platform.

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