The first Monday in September has been an official holiday in Canada since 1894. It is a day of rest and, for unions and labour activists, a day to celebrate the accomplishments of the labour movement and the benefits of having a union at work.
As is the case with most holidays, the origins of Labour Day come from the struggles of working people and the demand for fairness. In this case, it was the movement to establish a 9-hour work day (the standard was a 12-hour work day and a 6-day work week) and a strike by printers in Toronto in the spring of 1872 to get it.
Read more about the history of Labour day in Canada
Have you heard of Quiet Quitting?
Quiet quitting is the latest subject of workplace conversations. Quiet quitting occurs when an employee establishes better work-life boundaries by doing what’s necessary to stay employed but not breaking their backs to surpass expectations. This new trend rejects the idea of “hustle mentality” and instead encourages doing exactly what’s in the job description, leaving on time, and not checking emails outside of office hours.
Some argues that the trend of ‘quiet quitting’ is an opportunity for employers to reshape the workplace. It is now more important than ever for managers to communicate with their employees to establish clear expectations and how their work connects to something bigger, and for organizations to actively work towards preventing employee workout.
Learn more about the concept of Quiet Quitting and how it was formed over the pandemic.