World Day for Decent Work

Especially in recent years, and in alignment with principles championed in the international labour and sustainable development movements, there has been a growing call in the nonprofit and broader social impact sector to centre decent work for both our colleagues and for all workers. Decent work is becoming imperative to many funders, as the philanthropic sector recognizes that the future of work is flexible, and also decent. Close to home, sector organizations like the Ontario Nonprofit Network and Foodshare Toronto have been champions of this work, and we’re grateful for the leadership that inspires and guides much of our own work at Pillar Nonprofit Network.

In recognition of World Day for Decent Work this Friday, we are sharing some resources with you, wherever you may be on your journeys.

• In May of this year, only partway along our own journey, Pillar shared some of the milestones and lessons in our ongoing alignment to decent work principles, including a set of new pay principles. You can read about our decent work journey and our call to the network here.
• Pillar continues to work with the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board to identify decent work issues in the overlapping nonprofit, social impact, and care sectors. Analysis of issues for nonprofit employers and workers is coming this fall, and you can find our analysis of issues in the regional care economy here.
• The ONN continues to advocate for this work in Ontario's nonprofit sector, and you can find a decent work checklist, toolkit, case studies, and more here.
• Recognizing the movement at a national scale and as a Human Resources issue for charitable organizations, Imagine Canada provides an overview of the issues and resources on its HR Intervals site.

Decent work issues arise in many human resources trends and legal compliance issues currently in the news.

• BGC Canada, in collaboration with The Canadian Child Care Federation, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and YWCA Canada, have developed a policy brief, The Burnout Crisis: A Call to Invest in ECE and Child and Youth Workers, delving into emerging areas of concern for Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) and Child and Youth Workers. The brief addresses areas requiring further research and exploration on how to better support the mental health of front-line workers. Read the policy brief here.
• How are workers in Canada adapting to working from home?  According to a series of surveys on employment and skills conducted by the Environics Institute for Survey Research, positive impressions of work from home are increasing. Review more findings here.
• The deadline by which businesses with 25 or more employees are to have their electronic monitoring policies in place is fast approaching, with policies to be drafted and circulated by October 11, 2022. While some guidance has finally been offered to employers, a glaring hole remains: there is no definition of "electronic monitoring." Learn more from Alysia M. Christiaen of Lerners.
• Chances are you've already heard of "quiet quitting," the act of meeting but not seeking to exceed workplace expectations, often to manage burnout or stress. In an era of constantly shifting expectations about the future of work, "quiet quitting" is just one of many trends facing employers as they seek to attract talent and build engaged, productive workforces. Learn more from Prateek Awasthi of Mathews Dinsdale & Clark.
• New research from global staffing firm Robert Half shows 80% of Canadian employers ­are concerned about retaining top talent, with more than a quarter very concerned. And they have good reason. A separate survey reveals 33% of professionals plan to look for a new job in the next 12 months. The retention tactics most often cited by employers were increasing communication with staff (42%), improving employee recognition programs and offering professional development (40% for each). But when workers who said they intend to leave their jobs were asked what would entice them to stay, more money topped the list (51%) followed by a promotion (18%). Review more findings here.

And decent work issues arise in advocacy opportunities on so many fronts.

• The Ontario Government is seeking feedback on a plan to expand health and dental benefits to workers who need coverage, including those in part-time and precarious jobs, in sectors such as retail, hospitality, and the gig economy. This call for feedback follows a recommendation by the Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee to design and test a "portable benefits program" (one tied to workers, not employers), where contributors could be consumers, employers, workers, and the government. Those interested in providing their input can complete a 10-minute survey or email their feedback to portablebenefitspanel@ontario.ca by December 16, 2022. Please consider completing the survey and noting that there is no acknowledgement of the nonprofit sector and the many thousands of precariously-employed contract workers in the sector.
• Pre-budget consultations for Federal Budget 2023 are underway with a deadline for briefs this weekend. This is a great opportunity for nonprofits to raise awareness about and advance their policy priorities, including those addressing decent work. Imagine Canada has shared their brief and created a simple pre-budget toolkit to help you get involved and have your voice heard. You can submit a brief by 11:59pm EDT Saturday, October 8. 

In solidarity, wishing all of you a decent day Friday and every day!