'Employees are more aware of where they want to go next and it's not necessarily monetary driven,' says Randstad's Nancy D'Onofrio
In a shift that challenges traditional thinking around compensation and career progression, employees are putting more weight on workplace culture, community, and learning opportunities, findings from Randstad Canada’s recent survey has found.
Moreover, for the first time in years, salary is no longer the top motivator for job seekers, said Nancy D’Onofrio, director at Randstad Canada.
“We were actually quite surprised,” she said, referring to firm’s latest Workmonitor survey. “It’s no longer salary. It’s really about a sense of belonging, community, learning and development, and making sure that the purpose and values are aligned.”
While salary and title still matter, D’Onofrio emphasized that people are thinking differently about the next step in their careers.
“Employees are more aware of where they want to go next, and it’s not necessarily monetary driven,” she noted. “We're seeing a lot more people being interconnected to more about their values, making sure there's alignment, there’s purpose and making sure they’re going to grow. Are they going to invest in learning and development? Are they going to learn new AI technology? That's really where the workforce is evolving, is the introduction of technologies and investments in AI.”
D’Onofrio also believes employers should think less about building a family and more about creating a functioning, respectful community, adding when employees feel seen and valued, it creates the foundation for a stronger workplace culture: one rooted in community rather than hierarchy.
She draws a distinction between fostering a “sense of community” versus a “family,” emphasizing what truly matters is psychological safety and cultural alignment.
“There’s psychological safety where they can be their authentic selves because they feel accepted by this community,” she said, acknowledging this feeling of acceptance is what drives performance.
When people are connected to both the values and the people around them, “it just brings a lot of success out for them as well,” she said.
Employees still value flexibility
While D’Onofrio acknowledged that flexibility continues to be a top priority for today’s workforce, even surpassing compensation in many cases, she said employees are increasingly concerned about how rigid return-to-office mandates may impact their ability to manage personal responsibilities.
After all, many employees want – and value - time autonomy. D’Onofrio underscored that workers want control over their schedules, whether that means shifting hours to accommodate childcare or simply avoiding the rigid structure of traditional office life.
“The nine-to-five is definitely a thing of the past,” she said. “It’s become more performance driven. I’ve seen a lot more organizations offer four-day workweeks and more flexibility around that as well. Employees are okay to make a lateral move or even take a pay cut if that means that they’re going to have way more flexibility to balance personal work life a lot better.”
D’Onofrio asserted that employers who ultimately offer flexibility, development opportunities, and a genuine sense of belonging are more likely to retain their top talent. But she cautions that retention right now may be artificially high.
“A lot of employers are sitting on some false retention, because people are scared to make moves but that’s not to say they’re not going to make them as soon as the market starts to pick up,” she noted.
Leadership alignment is fundamental to building a culture that supports today’s workforce expectations, added D’Onofrio. She highlighted it's not enough for a company to set high-level goals around work-life balance or development and that leaders must embody and reinforce those values day to day, noting that leaders must model the behaviours and priorities they expect from their teams.
As younger generations like Gen Z enter the workforce, D’Onofrio sees a clear shift in what motivates them.
“They’re not really into the hierarchy or associated with big titles,” she said.
Instead, they prioritize alignment with a company’s purpose and values. To keep pace, she believes employers must coach their leaders on how to connect across generations and hold ongoing conversations about what matters most to their teams.
When it comes to values, she acknowledged the challenge that employers face, particularly as they can’t cater to every individual belief. But she believes constant communication is the solution.
“It’s not a once-a-year communication. It’s consistent,” she said, pointing to engagement surveys, one-on-one conversations, and transparent leadership are part of the process. “It comes from having authentic, real conversations.”
But perhaps the most urgent issue facing companies is toxic leadership. After all, Randstad’s survey found that 42 per cent of workers report experiencing a toxic workplace, an increase from previous years, D’Onofrio noted.
“What contributes most often to toxic workplaces? It’s not good leadership,” she said, underscoring that poor management creates a culture of fear, suppresses growth, and drives high performers out.
“Do you grow under a toxic leader? No. It hinders your growth.”
Moving forward, she believes employers need to consistently sharpen what they’re offering their employees, rework their total rewards strategy and how they're investing in their employees.
“I’m not going to say employee experience centric. I’m going to say human experience centric,” she said.
