Universum: Canadian university and college graduates are prioritizing high future earnings over support for diversity and inclusion in their career choices in 2023

Largest career preference survey in Canada details prioritization of  salary expectations, over support for diversity and inclusion in the career priorities of students, and lists the Most Attractive Employers in Canada. 

TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian college and university students do not prioritize a company's support for diversity & inclusion or gender equality in their career decisions. Instead, students prioritize high future earnings. This according to a talent study from Universum, the global leader in employer branding research. In 2023, students from Canada are expecting CA$66,678 in salary before bonuses and "high future earnings" is the single most important attribute when considering a potential employer. This based on the largest talent study in Canada from Universum, the global leader in employer branding research.

Universum surveyed over 28,000 Canadian students to understand their career goals, aspirations and perceptions of 200 employers worldwide. Each year we ask students to identify the employers they think are most relevant on campus, and this feedback forms the basis of our employer list. Find the full list of the Most Attractive Employers in Canada here.

Notable findings from the 2023 Canada research include:

Soft economy lifts "practical" priorities. Given slowdowns in hiring, students are more focused on compensation-related employer attributes like high future earnings (the #1 choice) and competitive base salaries (up seven points to #5), and putting less weight on "soft" qualities like leadership opportunities and opportunities to make an impact (both down multiple points in 2023).

Remote work is a need-to-have, but concerns persist. This year 80% of students say they're interested in working remotely at least part of the time, up two points since last year; however, students have complicated feelings about remote work. 55% worry they will miss out on social connections with colleagues, up 6 points from last year.

Quality-of-life factors remain strong for Canadian students. In previous economic slowdowns, quality-of-life factors tended to drop down the priority list; yet in 2023, flexible work and work-life balance remain at #3 and #4 — a sign these two issues are non-negotiables for many young people.

"In 2023, young university students are undergoing a significant shift in their expectations and priorities," notes Jason Kipps, CHRL, Managing Director of Universum. While factors like job security concerns may change with a stronger economy, the enduring trend is the emphasis on improving quality of life in their careers. To attract diverse candidates, companies must move beyond tokenistic diversity content and instead focus on authenticity. Longer-form content is more effective in conveying their genuine diversity story."

To view the full list of the Most Attractive Employers in Canada, visit here.

About Universum

Universum is the world's leading data-driven, insight-led employer branding agency. Founded in Stockholm, we are now active in over 60 countries, with key hubs in Toronto, Paris, Berlin, London, New York, Singapore and Shanghai. We help ambitious employers attract the right talent through unparalleled insights, expertise and data-led actions. Universum possesses the largest database of talent preference data in the world, giving us an exclusive perspective on what is relevant to talent to help employers position their communication strategies.

Media Contacts:
Jason Kipps CHRL
Managing Director, Canada
Jason.kipps@universumglobal.com
416-938-4411

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