Canadians Would Quit Job with Delayed Pay, Survey Finds

A recent survey conducted by Angus Reid for the National Payroll Institute reveals that as many as 94 per cent of Canadians would seek new employment if they experienced regular pay delays. In addition, 91 per cent of respondents said they would look for a new job if their pay was regularly inaccurate.

The research warns that organizations face severe consequences if their employees encounter regular payroll disruptions. Of those surveyed, 64 per cent said they would trust their employer less, 59 percent would caution others about joining the company, and 51 percent would have concerns about how much their employer values them.

The survey found that 38 per cent of respondents who have experienced payroll mistakes or delays felt they were not able to manage expenses, and the same percentage felt their employer did not appreciate them. Furthermore, 29 per cent felt a strain on workplace relationships, 27 per cent experienced negative mental health effects, and 26 per cent reported a lack of productivity or disengagement at work.

“It’s clear that payroll is at the core of business operations and is the foundation on which employee relationships, engagement, and productivity are built,” said Peter Tzanetakis, President of the National Payroll Institute, in a news release published last week. “In an environment where employers are jumping through incredible hoops to elevate their brand and show candidates they are a great place to work, it’s a missed opportunity to not proudly talk about the effort that goes into an organization’s payroll practices.”

The National Payroll Institute has compiled what it calls the “core principles,” which comprise the Declaration of Payroll. These principles include accuracy, timeliness, transparency, security, equity, compliance, disclosure, and professionalism. The Institute suggests that the Declaration for Payroll provides business leaders with an opportunity to make a public commitment to uphold these principles to the best of their abilities and use them as a differentiator that appeals to the needs of current and future employees.