Widespread Job Anxiety In Quebec

November 27 2008 - More than 90% of the province's workers believe that the economic crisis will have a negative impact on employment in Quebec workers according to a recent CROP survey conducted for the Ordre des conseillers en resources humaines agrees (CRHA).

94% of respondents to the survey, conducted in October 2008, said that they expected the crisis to adversely affect employment. However, 50% of the employees in the survey believed the impact would be minor, compared to the 44% who thought it would be major. Only 3% thought the economic crisis would not have any impact at all.

Florent Francoeur, CHRP, Ordre president and CEO said:

"Obviously, the crisis can influence workers' optimism, which underscores just how important it is for employers to clearly communicate with their employees and to explain their organization's position in relation to the economic slowdown. Employers need to offset rumours and unfounded fears since they're a source of counterproductive stress."

The main anxiety focused on employment in Quebec as a whole, but nearly one worker in ten (9%) worried about losing his or her job in the next year.

Over a fifth of respondents (21%) also thought that the economic crisis could cause a downgrading of working conditions over the next year.

Florent Francoeur concluded:

"Companies are having to navigate in troubled waters and employees feel, for example, that they might not receive the salary increases they expect. In this situation, managers should clearly and transparently communicate the objectives they may have to review in order to keep their workforce highly motivated."