Almost half of all Canadians—49%—would stop working if they didn’t need to, according to the results of a Monster survey released June 13.
Perhaps surprisingly, however, almost the same percentage of respondents—47%—said they would continue to work even if their finances no longer dictated it was necessary.
“Work is a part of most of our lives from the time we're young adults until retirement; it can be hard not to dream of a life in which we don't need to work to live," said Sheryl Boswell, director of marketing for Monster Canada. "Not all of us live to work, but there can be a happy medium: a career we find both fulfilling and interesting.”
Only about a third of respondents who say they would like to keep working would stay in their current fields, however, and 53% of those would pursue endeavours that aligned with their passions.
“It's not surprising that, if given the option, many Canadians would prefer working in a field that aligns more closely with their personal interests,” Boswell said. “But even those who felt they'd be unlikely to continue working in the traditional sense may end up finding themselves seeking out activities that qualify as work – be it photography, writing, baking, or website design.”
Only 13% said they would like to continue working on a full-time basis.
For those who would keep working, the way they choose to work would change, they said. Two thirds of those respondents said they would choose to work on a part-time basis, with 15% saying they would choose to freelance.
Men were more likely than women to say they would like to continue working (53% compared with 41%). Younger respondents would be more likely to keep working, with 60% of respondents aged 18-34 and only 36% of those aged 55-64 saying they would stay in the workforce. The younger group is also more likely to pursue jobs in fields they are passionate about.
@EmmaHampelBIV
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