The ethic

Years ago, between periods of insanity when I joined Parliament to save Canada (it didn’t work) I was the talking head financial-news dude on CTV. That’s when people watching TV cared about business stuff. (They go to TikTok now.)

While doing the television thing I wrote a few books and started accepting speaking gigs. Soon that was a full-time pursuit taking me coast-to-coast, making it impossible to be in the studio every night. So I quit the network and started my own television production company.

We built out a studio in a Bay Street tower and eventually turned out a dozen weekly series, including one on real estate, plus a dog show (of course) and ‘Investment Television” which ran for years on Global. The business model was simple – back when TV was still a viable medium. I bought big chunks of network airtime, created content, then we flogged the commercial spots to companies interested in reaching that demographic. It was actually a lot of fun. And I even sold a hunk of the outfit to a covetous mutual fund.

The staff included editors, camera guys, reporters, writers, admin and sales folks. One day a young woman showed up with TV experience back hone (Israel) and asked for a job. But we were tapped out. “I will work for nothing,” she said. That caught my attention. And so she got a desk and went on air. Six months later she was on salary. Soon she was hosting one of the shows. Eventually I sold the operation, lost my mind again, and was elected.

That woman moved on to become a senior reporter on a big-city station. Then she went national on network prime time. All because she’d asked for nothing but a chance to prove herself.

Moral: the work ethic matters. But is it now slipping away?

Covid’s slimy hands are all over this recalibration of society. It came at a unique moment – as the largest cohort (Millennials) was entering those years when people hardline a career yet crave nesting and family. There’s always been a tension. But the pandemic seems to have tipped the scales. For example, now employers try to attract people not with the lure of compensation, fulfilment and advancement, but with personal time off, remote work and offices that are inclusive. Diverse. Collaborative. Empathetic. Many hugs.

The virus sent five million people home to work in their jammies and sweats, yet collect full wages. That threw into question the entire logic of commuting, conforming, being supervised, judged, measured or merely having the discipline to show up on time. WFH led people to believe the workplace was dead so they could move to Armpit, get chickens, do personal errands at will and still make a city income. Governments stepped up to take the edge off things with massive cash transfers to individual bank accounts, enhanced child care money and – as this election is showing – a crop of politicians who ask nothing but give everything. We’ve all learned to eschew responsibility today by borrowing from the unseen future. Way easier.

This week more evidence where we’re headed. A new survey has found that – for the first time ever – Canadians say “salary and benefits” are not the primary reason for taking a job. Instead the overriding goal is work-life balance. This preference has surfaced out of the pandemic, and almost doubles among those who work remotely, distant from the eyes of any supervisor or bothersome colleagues. “The data shows there has been a significant shift in what working Canadians value within their current workplace,” says ADP Canada.

The company also found a mess of people changed jobs during Covid, with many more planning to jump. The three main reasons: personal life changes, wanting to work less and stress. “This data draws a clear picture of what working Canadians are looking for, and what workplaces should be prioritizing as we move forward,” adds the company. “Work and life are not independent entities fighting for a 50/50 balance. Companies need to acknowledge work and life are intertwined with one affecting the other.”

Regular addicts will have seen this sentiment laced through comments in the steerage section. It seems nobody wants to congregate with others in a workplace anymore. Or to be judged. Or wear pants, unless absolutely necessary. After 18 months of a public health crisis, many have decided that doing the laundry whenever they want is more important than a raise and a promotion. This has also led to a surge of interest in the FIRE movement, with a warren of self-help web sites spelling out how 30-year-olds can retire comfortably at 40. So they can find themselves.

Suddenly a whole gen thinks everything just changed. Workplaces are tyranny. Careers are gone. The gig economy’s here and employees should get paid for being smart, not being seen. Zooming, not commuting. Experiences over money. Personal time is paramount and YOLO. They believe the virus accelerated change. There is no retreat. It’s different this time.

And, by the way, nobody would work for nothing now. It might even be illegal. Figures.

About the picture: “Here are our two rescue litter mates, Reese and Aero,” writs Charlie. “They are  9-year-olds who enjoy boating and cottaging.  Part Chocolate Lab and Australian Shepard, and we ended up with one of each. Keep up the great work on the blog  you are an inspiration to many! Feel free to use the pic on your blog as you see fit.”