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Living Wage Waterloo Region October 2016 EMPLOYEE SURVEY 2016

Living Wage Waterloo Region is a recognition and

support program for employers who join and make

the commitment to achieve the objective of paying

all their employees a living wage.

Living Wage Waterloo Region is a member of the

Ontario Living Wage Network.

The Report is produced by the

Evaluation Working Group:

Social Development Centre Waterloo Region

Aleksandra Petrovic

Trudy Beaulne

Living Wage Waterloo Region Staff Team

Greg DeGroot-Maggetti

Anne Coleman

Living Wage Evaluation Working Group

2016 Employee Survey Report October 2016

EMPLOYER SURVEY 2016 – LIVING WAGE WATERLOO REGION

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Employee Perspective ............................................................................................................................... 5

Living Wage and Decent Work in Ontario ................................................................................................. 5

Data Collection and Response Rates ........................................................................................................ 7

Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................................... 10

Part I – Living Wage ................................................................................................................................. 10

Awareness of the Living Wage Program ............................................................................................. 11

Importance of Working for a Living Wage Employer .......................................................................... 12

Changes in Benefits ............................................................................................................................. 15

Attitudes toward Current Work Environment .................................................................................... 15

Assessing Financial Situation .............................................................................................................. 16

Part II – Decent Work .............................................................................................................................. 21

Working Conditions............................................................................................................................. 21

Work-related Benefits ......................................................................................................................... 22

Workplace Culture .............................................................................................................................. 23

Discussion.................................................................................................................................................... 24

Appendix A .................................................................................................................................................. 27

Invitation Sent by e-mail to Employers ................................................................................................... 28

Survey...................................................................................................................................................... 29

Appendix B .................................................................................................................................................. 33

Follow Up Interview Questions ............................................................................................................... 34

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EMPLOYER SURVEY 2016 – LIVING WAGE WATERLOO REGION

Executive Summary This report presents the results of the first Living Wage Waterloo Employee Survey conducted to

explore workers’ experience in the organizations that joined the Living Wage Employer Program in 2014.

Living Wage Waterloo Region (LWWR) has steadily gained momentum since its launch in 2014

when 10 organizations made a commitment to pay their employees at or above the living wage rate. As

of September 2016, there are 30 organizations in total that are, or are in process of becoming, a Living

Wage Employer in Waterloo region.

After their first year with the program, the initial employer cohort was surveyed to update data

on their staff numbers and pay levels. These employers were also asked about challenges or benefits

that had been experienced implementing the program in their organizations.

At the end of that first year, the initial 10 organizations had 84 more employees paid at or above

the living wage rate than when they had started the program. In comparison, the total number of staff

had increased by only 61.

Results from the 2015 Annual Employer Survey mirrored research done by other living wage

programs in North America1 and Europe2. These studies report that paying a living wage increases staff

retention and motivation, is a hiring incentive, and increases the value of the brand and benefits for

different cross sections of an organization. These findings indicate the impact of a living wage goes

beyond individual income and the immediate work environment.

The 2016 Employee Survey explores worker experience in those 10 organizations that had first

joined the Waterloo Region Living Wage Program. Employees were asked about their pay level as well as

questions that reflect a broader concept of decent work3 , the latter to get the employee perspective on

what employers had identified in the 2015 Employer Survey.

Invitations to take part in the survey and a follow up interview, were sent by email to employees

through their employer on two separate occasions in May and again in July 2016. A total of 152

employees completed the survey and follow up interviews were done with two (2) employees who had

worked for their respective employer since before the Living Wage Employer Program.

An equal number of employees participated from for-profit employers and non-profit

employers. Most participation was from small non-profits with fewer than ten 10 employees, large non-

profits and large for-profits with more than 50 employees.

That many organizations had paid their employees at or above the living wage rate before

joining the Living Wage Employer Program is evident in the finding that 87% (N=127) of the employees

1 Fairiss, D. (2007). The Effects of Living Wages on Workers and firms: Evidence from the Los Angeles Ordinance in Policy Matters: A quarterly Publication of the University of California, Riverside, V 1 (3). 2 National Living Wage: Employee Attitudes Survey, January 2016, retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-living-wage-employee-survey 3 International Labour Organization, “Decent Work Agenda,” 2015 consulted on the web at http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/decent-

work/lang--en/index.htm



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surveyed were paid a living wage before November 2014. Seventeen respondents (11.18%) reported

their wages increased after the employer joined the program. This group comprises 44% of the initial 39

employees who were not paid living wage before November 2014 when the employers first joined the

initiative5. Five respondents reported they had been hired since 2014 and are currently not paid the

living wage rate.

No surveys were completed by employees who had worked for their employer before joining

the program and whose pay rate had been, and still is, below the living wage rate. As most of this group

of employees are students or contract staff, they may not be working two years later for that same

employer. Or, these workers may not have work emails or access to Internet at work so did not receive

the survey invitation.

The majority of survey respondents (59%) stated it is very important to work for a living wage so

as to be able to cover the rising costs of living and to work for a socially responsible employer who

values their work and quality of life in general. Some respondents made a strong case for the living wage

being paid in organizations that do anti-poverty work.

A large segment of employees (34%) said working for a living wage employer is somewhat

important. Although this group said they support the concept in principle and believe workers should be

paid fairly, some lack enough information about the impact of the living wage on the employer. Further,

some express concern about implementing living wages, such as staffing expenses, unequal benefits for

staff across an organization and the feasibility of non-profits paying a living wage rate.

In addition, a small number of employees surveyed (N=7) deem working for a living wage

employer is not important and this group as well raise questions about the trickle-down effect on

customers, the community and the economy.

The 2016 living wage rate calculated for Waterloo Region is $16.05 an hour per employee. The

reference household for the calculation6 of the living wage in Waterloo Region is a four-member family

with two adults and two children. The living wage rate is the amount both adults would need to earn to

jointly cover the expenses of this hypothetical reference household. This approach follows the Canadian

Living Wage Framework.7

Most survey respondents report they are able to cover their basic monthly expenses because of

the combined income of all earners in their family. This supports the assumption underlying the living

wage rate calculation as based on a two income family.

Furthermore, the employees surveyed were asked to report on their ability to cover different

types of expenses, which diminishes progressively from paying basic expenses to saving for the future:

5 Refer to the unpublished Annual Employer Report, Living Wage Waterloo Region, October 2015 6 Calculating a Living Wage for the Waterloo Region, Leona Brujins and Lyndsey Butcher, October 2014 consulted at http://livingwagewr.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/report.jpg 7 Canadian Living Wage Framework: A National Methodology for Calculating the Living Wage in Your Community, Living Wage Canada, consulted online at http://livingwagecanada.ca/files/3913/8382/4524/Living_Wage_Full_Document_Nov.pdf



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78% can always cover basic monthly expenses;

46% can always pay additional expenses;

39% can always put money aside.

No pattern of responses is found across the different wage level groups in general satisfaction,

motivation and loyalty toward their employers. Satisfaction and loyalty do not depend solely on wage

rates and, as confirmed in follow-up interviews, the overall characteristics of the workplace relationships

and workplace culture go hand in hand with the levels of remuneration. When profit is valued over

people, employees reported, there is a tendency towards ‘cut throat’, micro-managed, punitive work

culture resulting in less productive work, competitiveness, lack of motivation and respect for the work-

life balance. On the other hand, respectful and responsible employers foster a positive and respectful

environment that is important along with decent wages.

From comments made on the survey and during the follow up interviews to explore these topics

more fully, there surfaced a particular value for: meaningful work; having a process for sharing ideas;

having advanced notice of work schedule and flexible hours; being able to work full-time for one

employer; having paid sick days, opportunities for advancement, and work-life balance.

When asked what work related benefits are valued, responses include paid drug and dental

benefits, pension plan contribution and disability insurance. The comments suggest family benefits are

important as well.

The Living Wage calculation framework assumes a living wage rate should cover basic expenses

(e.g. shelter, food, clothing, transportation) and some expenses that allow for social inclusion with

family, friends and community (e.g. social outings, recreation and a modest vacation), and includes a

modest contingency fund for emergencies and future plans. It does not account for loans or other debt,

savings for retirement, owning a home, saving for children’s education, cost of caring for family

members, etc. As stated in the framework: “The living wage gets families out of severe financial stress

by lifting them out of poverty and providing a basic level of economic security. But it is also a

conservative, bare bones budget without the extras many Canadians take for granted”10.

The findings from the first employee survey affirmed the above assumption. Many who are paid

at or even well above the living wage rate reported they likely would not meet basic needs if they did

not have other household income earners. Not all life situations are covered by the reference household

used to calculate the living wage rate. However, it is clear the calculated wage rate is modest and likely a

low estimate for costs in many family situations.

This survey has started an important exploration with one cohort of employees which may not

be representative of every work environment. However, what has been learned is a good start to

understanding the impact paying a living wage has on employees in Waterloo Region.

10 Canadian Living Wage Framework: A National Methodology for Calculating the Living Wage in Your Community, Living Wage Canada,

consulted online at http://livingwagecanada.ca/files/3913/8382/4524/Living_Wage_Full_Document_Nov.pdf



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Introduction The first Annual Employer Survey was conducted in the fall of 2015, one year after the first 10

organizations joined LWWR. At that point, the total number of employees and the number of employees

being paid the living wage were updated (Table 1). Overall, in that first year, the number of employees

increased by 61 and the number of employees being paid living wage increased by 84. The percentage of

all employees who were paid a living wage increased from 93% in 2014 and to 97% in 2015.

Employers can enroll in the living wage program and take progressive steps to getting all

employees to a living wage level from: Friend, committed to raising all full-time employees to the living

wage rate; to Champion, paying all its employees the living wage, including students and externally

contracted staff11.

Table 1 – Number of Employees 2014-2015

Total number of employees 2014 463

Number of employees paid living wage 424

Number of employees not paid living wage 39

Total number of employees 2015 524

Number of employees paid living wage 508

Number of employees not paid living wage 16

Change in total number of employees 2014-15 +61

Change in number of employees paid living wage +84

The first employer survey focused on the process of operational changes and

adjustments made by the employers to accommodate the requirements of the Living Wage Employer

Program, the challenges they faced making these changes and the initial perceived impact on the

organization. The initial impact identified by the employers included:

Living wage recognition has become an important incentive in the hiring process

Being recognized as a leader in the industry and/or community

Staff retention and knowledge kept in the organization resulting in greater efficiency

Having motivated staff leads to greater productivity

Strengthening the pride in the organization thanks to a deeper understanding of the guiding

values and principles after going through a collective process

Greater awareness and intentionality around the process of wage setting across

departments and better communication, information exchange and consistency in

operations.

11 Becoming a Living Wage Employer: Five Easy Steps to becoming a recognized Living Wage Employer in Waterloo Region, Living Wage

Waterloo Region, consulted online at http://livingwagewr.org/becoming-a-living-wage-employer



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The 2015 LWWR Employer Survey results mirror research done by other living wage programs in

Canada12 and the United Kingdom13.

The first 2016 Employee Survey is intended to explore workers’ experience in living wage

organizations and, to add employee perspective to what is known from employers.

Employee Perspective

The Employee Survey explores the impact of the living wage as experienced and perceived by the

employees of the first cohort of organizations joining Living Wage Waterloo Region Employer Program.

Since there are strong indicators from research in North America14 that the impact of the living wage

goes beyond individual income and the immediate work environment, the survey includes questions

related to a broader concept of Decent Work15. Overriding questions guiding the employee exploration:

What are the stories told by the employees as their companies join the living wage initiative?

How do employees understand the living wage?

Are they experiencing material and motivational boost with their employers implementing living

wage policies?

Would employees corroborate the findings from their employers regarding the initial impact of

adopting a living wage?

What can we learn from employee stories to further adjust the direction in which we calculate

the Living Wage in Waterloo Region?

What are employees saying that can inform the current Decent Work16 & Changing Workplace

Review in Ontario17?

Living Wage and Decent Work in Ontario

Since 2014, the Ontario Government has undertaken a series of consultations regarding the

review of the labour laws which increased interest in “Decent Work” and spurred greater activity of the

Living Wage movement across the province. By fall 2015, the Ontario Living Wage Network was

12 How living wage benefits Employers, Living Wage for Families Fact Sheet, consulted online at

http://www.livingwagecanada.ca/files/1613/8443/7402/Employer-benefit-fact-sheet.pdf 13 The Business Case for a Living Wage, Living Wage Foundation 2016, consulted online at http://www.livingwage.org.uk/business-case-living-wage-5 14 Business Case for Living Wage, Living Wage Canada retrieved from

http://www.livingwagecanada.ca/files/7213/8269/9483/Living_Wage_doc...pdf and Fairiss, D. (2007). The Effects of Living Wages on Workers and Firms: Evidence from the Los Angeles Ordinance in Policy Matters: A quarterly Publication of the University of California, Riverside, V 1 (3). 15 International Labour Organization, “Decent Work Agenda,” 2015 consulted on the web at http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/decent-

work/lang--en/index.htm 16 Mowat Centre, “Change Work: Valuing Decent Work in the Not-for-Profit Sector”, 2015 consulted on the web at

https://mowatcentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/publications/111_change_work.pdf 17 Ministry of Labour, “Changing Workplaces Review Special Advisors’ Interim Report,” 2016 consulted on the web at https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/about/pdf/cwr_interim.pdf

http://www.livingwagecanada.ca/files/7213/8269/9483/Living_Wage_doc...pdf



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launched, four communities had started local employer recognition programs (Waterloo Region,

Hamilton, Guelph and Windsor) and 24 municipalities were engaging in the living wage conversation.

As this report was being written, the Government of Ontario was collecting responses to the

Interim Report of the Special Advisors for the Ministry of Labour on the Employment Standards Act 2000

and Labour Relations Act 1995. The report refers to the International Labour Organization’s Definition of

Decent Work:

Decent work sums up the aspirations of people in their working lives. It involves opportunities for

work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection

for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for

people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives

and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men.18

The Special Advisors conclude that decent work relates to minimum acceptable employment

standards, linking social inclusion to economic growth, personal dignity, public benefit and community

stability. At the same time, they say that decent work remains beyond the scope of the review and that

it is outside “labour standards laws to legislate decent work”19. The advisors refer to but do not define

“living wage” or “decent income” which, if they did, could prevent putting vulnerable workers at risk “in

material ways including all the undesirable aspects of life that go hand-in-hand with insecurity, poverty

and lower incomes”20.

In their report “Change Work: Valuing Decent Work in the Not-for-Profit Sector”21, the Mowat

Centre, and its collaborators, reiterate that the most prominent aspect of decent work is fair income,

including not only the living wage but health and social benefits ensuring income security into

retirement. Beyond fair income, decent work can also encompass “meaningful work” that includes

opportunities for professional growth and advancement.

Living Wage Waterloo Region and its counterparts from the Ontario Living Wage Network agree

that living wage is only one of the tools towards ensuring decent work and that the conversation about

labour standards needs to broaden and join complementary initiatives to consider including job-related

benefits, working conditions, and retirement security.

18 ibid., p. 12 19 Ibid., p.13 20 ibid., p. 23 21 Mowat Centre, “Change Work: Valuing Decent Work in the Not-for-Profit Sector”, 2015 consulted on the web at

https://mowatcentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/publications/111_change_work.pdf



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Chart 1 - Overall Response Rate 29%

Number of employees Nov 2015

Survey respondents Jul 2016

Chart 2 - Sector Response Distribution

for-profits non-profits not sure

Data Collection and Response Rates

From May to July 2016, two separate invitations for survey participation were made by email

through the first cohort of employers who joined the Living Wage Waterloo Region prior to November

2014. The survey questions were divided into two sections, the first, referring to the living wage and the

second, to decent work. The only self-identifying questions asked of the employees were if they worked

in a non-profit or for-profit organization, and if they worked in a small, mid-size or large organization.

The invitation letter and the survey questions can be found in Appendix A.

152 responses, response rate estimate 29% based on

the overall number of employees in fall 2015 (Chart 1)

In total, 152 surveys were completed through an online

survey (software was Survey Monkey). The overall

response rate was 29% of the 524 employees in the 10

organizations reported in October 2015.

Overall survey response distribution (Chart 2)

Similar numbers of employees participated from

for-profit organizations as from non-profit

organizations.

Employees working for non-profits – 76 (50%)

Employees working for for-profits – 74

(49.68%)

Not sure – 2 (1.32%)

This representation is consistent with the number

of employees reported in the 2015 Employer Survey (Table 2).

Table 2 – Representation by sector in organizations in and the survey

Number of Non-profit employees 2015

Number of Non-profit respondents 2016

Estimated sector representation

267 76 28.46%

Number of For-profit employees 2015

Number of For-profit respondents 2016

257 74 28.79%



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Response rate from organizations from different sectors The 2015 Employer Survey is used as the baseline for the numbers of employees working in

organizations of different sizes in the two represented sectors: non-profit and for-profit sector. Both

sectors are equally well represented in the Employee Survey responses (Chart 2).

Table 3 – Representation by sector and size of organizations

Size of the non-profit organizations Number of survey respondents

Corresponding number of employees recorded in 2015 employer survey

Response rate

Small (fewer than 10 employees) 10 18 (55.55%)

Medium (11-50 employees) 5 23 (21.73%)

Large (more than 50 employees) 61 226 (27%)

Size of the for-profit organizations Number of survey respondents

Corresponding number of employees recorded in 2015 employer survey

Response rate

Small (fewer than 10 employees)22 2* 0 N/A

Medium (11-50 employees) 5 70 (7.14%)

Large (more than 50 employees) 67 187 (35.82%)

Table 2 shows that the most responses are from the small and large non-profit organizations

and from the large for-profit organizations. Fewer surveys are completed by employees from the

medium sized organizations (non-profit or for-profit).

2 interviews, response rate 1.38% (Table 3)

Of the 152 respondents, there are 144 employees who had worked for their employers before

their employer joined LWWR two years prior to the survey (see Table 4). These employees were invited

to participate in a follow-up interview to provide more in-depth answers to some of the survey

questions and specifically to ask the participants to compare their current work experience to that prior

to their employer joining the living wage program. Two (2) employees agreed to take part in an in-depth

interview, which were conducted by telephone in August 2016. Both of these interviewed employees

had earned a living wage rate before their employer joined LWWR.

Table 4 – Interview Response Rate

Survey respondents 2016 Number of survey respondents who worked for the employer in 2014

Interviewees 2016

152 144 2

22 According to the 2015 Employer Survey, no for-profit organizations had less than 10 employees. It is possible that since the survey in 2015,

there was a decrease of employee positions in one of the for-profit organizations or it was an incorrect estimate made by two employees regarding the size of the organization where they work.



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Due to the small number of interviews conducted, the information collected was incorporated

into the survey analysis and is not presented in a separate section of this report. The interview questions

can be found in Appendix B.



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Data Analysis Even though the survey response rate was relatively high (29%), the number of responses for all

questions was not sufficient to conduct more than descriptive analysis and qualitative analysis of open

ended responses. Survey Monkey reporting and analysis features were used for the descriptive statistics

and to compile responses to closed questions. Excel was used for the coding process in deductive

analysis of the open ended question responses. The two interview transcripts revealed themes that

aligned with some of the survey response themes and were integrated with results from the

corresponding survey questions.

Part I – Living Wage

The first part of the following analysis is based on the questions pertaining directly to the employee

experience of the process through which their employer adjusted, as needed, to being recognized as a

living wage employer. Six employers already paid their employees at or above a living wage rate and the

other four made payroll and organizational changes. The employee survey asked:

If employees were aware that they worked for a living wage employer

If working for a living wage employer was important

Their attitudes regarding their current job

If they received increases in wages or job-related benefits since the employer has joined the

initiative and

Their ability to cover basic monthly expenses, and if they would be able to cover additional costs

and set aside some savings.

All answers were divided by the status of the employees into four categories:

Employees paid living wage rate prior to November 2014

Employees whose wages increased since November 2014 when their employer joined the Living

Wage Waterloo Region Employer Program

Employees whose wages did not increase since November 2014 since their employers joined

the Living Wage Waterloo Region Employer Program

Employees who are not paid living wage and have joined the employer after November 2014

Table 5 shows the distribution of the four types of employee categories. No respondents had

worked for the employer longer than two years and were not paid living wage at the time of the survey.

Reasons could be that they opted out of the survey or that in their jobs they do not use email or do not

have access the Internet at work.



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Table 5 – Pay levels and length of employment

Paid living wage Had the wage increased Not paid living wage

Working for the employer before November 2014

127 (85.23%) 17 (11.41%) 0

Joined the employer after November 2014

N/A N/A 5 (3.36%)23

The majority of the employers of the first cohort were already paying their employees living wage,

which fits with the finding that the majority of employee survey respondents reported were paid living

wage since before the employer joined the initiative. Particular attention in the survey is given to the

employees who had their wages increased after their employer joined the Living Wage Employer

Program and those who are not currently paid living wage. These two subgroups would be expected to

be most affected by their employer adopting a commitment to paying a living wage in their

organization.

Awareness of the Living Wage Program

Ninety-eight percent (98%) of survey respondents report they are aware their organization is a living

wage employer.

Table 6 – Awareness of the Living Wage Program

Aware of the program before the survey

Not aware of the program before the survey

No response

147 3 2

The five (5) respondents, who did not know if their organization was a living wage employer or

who had skipped this question, come from large organizations. Four (4) were paid living wage before

October/November 2014. One (1) has started working in the last two years and is not paid living wage.

When answering about the importance of working for the living wage employer, these four respondents

said it was somewhat important. As expected, it is very important for that employee who is not paid

living wage. This employee also said it is a challenge to be working for a living wage employer and not be

paid living wage, even when they understand that it can be a step-wise process.

23 In the survey, we have made reference to the “headline living wage rate” of $16.05, asking the employees to identify if they are paid the living wage rate or not. They may not be aware that if they receive employer paid benefits, the hourly rate of pay could be lower and still meet the living wage threshold.



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Importance of Working for a Living Wage Employer

This section continues exploration of responses regarding the perceived importance of working

for a living wage employer. Table 7 shows the distribution of answers given by the surveyed employees.

Table 7 – Importance working for a living wage employer

Very Important Somewhat Important Not very important No answer

91 (59%) 52 (34%) 7 (4.67%) 2 (1.31%)

As suggested, a special focus is given to the respondents in two subcategories, those who saw

their wages increase through the LWWR program and those who are not paid at or above the living

wage rate.

All 17 respondents whose wages were increased in the last two years are from

large organizations. Only one said working for a living wage employer is not very

important because their living expenses were covered by the combined

household income of all working family members.

Eight (8) respondents out of the 17 who commented, mention financial

instability and the rising cost of living. Those working in non-profits (3) stated

the importance of a living wage to alleviate the stress working with low-income

members of the community.

Out of the five (5) employees who said it is either very or somewhat important,

two refer to the cost of living and two to the fact that living wage shows the

value employers put on their employee`s work and overall quality of life.

Following is a review of the themes that emerged from the 63 comments associated with this

question. The themes are presented for each of the three main response groups: very important,

somewhat important and not important.

Very Important - 91 respondents (59%) ; 48 comments

The responses explain why it is important to work for an employer who pays living wage and fall into

one or more of the themes:

Being able to cover the cost of living (basic needs, school debt, etc.)

19 comments refer to the need for wages to cover at least the basic costs of living.

“Cost of living and cost of family life is expensive. Regular minimum wage doesn't come close to

offering enough financially to fulfill what a household needs to survive.”

Wage Increase

Group (17)

Not Paid Living

Wage Group (5)

Group



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Value of a socially conscious employer

16 comments reflect the theme where an employer who walks the talk about its values and the

business model it promotes: “Demonstrates the commitment of the organization to helping with a

systemic issue”.

“We need to set an example for others to follow. It is difficult to advocate for a Living Wage if

you are not paying that yourself.”

In a number of comments there is a sense of pride expressed to be working for a living wage

employer and a core alignment of personal and business values. It is particularly important for non-

profit employees who work to alleviate poverty, that their employers must “walk the talk”.

Employee work and quality of life are valued

13 comments reflect that employers demonstrate that they appreciate the work done by the employees

and have their best interests at heart.

Some respondents not earning living wage at the moment still value this in their employer.

“The employer cares about the compensation of the staff and healthy living with certain wage

to support self and family and community as a whole.”

Fairness and human rights issue

10 comments reflect this theme

“It is a human rights issue and also a social justice issue for me. Minimum wage is a wage that

does not provide workers with an income that pays for their living expenses.”

Benefit to the organization

5 comments reflect the importance of living wage in retaining talent and knowledge in the organization

and for organization’s sustainability.

“It shows integrity and it is a great benefit for retaining and attracting talent.”

Good for the broader community

4 comments reflect this theme

“The local community and industry is something that we need to continue to grow and foster.



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Somewhat Important - 52 respondents (34%) left 12 comments

A majority of respondents (43 out of 52) had already been paid living wage when their employer

joined the Living Wage program. The comments shared by the employees in this group have a

different flavour when compared to the group who believes it is very important to work for a living

wage employer.

Some respondents did not know about the living wage until they started working for the current

employer or stated they do not have enough information about the impact of the program to the

employer and the business bottom line. Even though a few said they are proud or happy that such a

program exists and that workers should be paid fairly, it is not necessarily a deciding factor for choosing

an employer or a measure of the value an organization brings to the community. There were a few

concerns raised regarding the implementation of the program in general.

*Implementation concerns raised in the responses:

Staffing expenses are the highest cost for an employer and living wage has to be fair to the

employer too

Impact on employees who have been with the organization longer and did not see the

immediate benefit (validated in the interview process too)

Non-profits are not funded in a way that allows them to provide a living wage.

Some of the previously identified themes were mentioned by this group too:

Fairness

Pride in working for a socially conscious employer

High cost of living

Not important - 7 respondents (4.6%) left 3 comments

All the employees who said that working for a living wage employer is not important are being paid

living wage and 6 out of 7 have been paid living wage since before the employers joined the initiative.

There was a concern expressed what impact wages increased this way would actually have on

customers or people living in low-cost areas.

*Comments made:

- It should be an average market compensation, not the cost of living that determines the pay

- Living wage is not based on sound economics

- Not being a low wage employee and not working in a low wage industry makes living wage less

relevant

- If living with the parents, living wage is not that important



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Changes in Benefits Since living wage calculation includes benefits and other employer contributions besides the pay

rate, employees were asked if there were changes made in the process of implementation of the living

wage that brought increases in other areas.

Table 8 gives a general overview of the responses:

Table 8 – Increase in other Benefits

No Changes Not Applicable Yes No Answer

98 (66.22%) 37 (25%) 13 (8.78%) 4 (2.63%)

Most of the employees have not seen any other changes in compensation. One quarter of

respondents thought this was not applicable to them since they started working after the living wage

was implemented or that their employer was already a living wage employer. All 13 employees who

have seen the increases are paid a living wage rate. Further these employees are from sector

organizations other than small non-profits.

Six (6) employees out of thirteen (13) provided the following examples of benefits:

Employee and Family Assistance Program benefits

Extended health and wellness benefits

Additional spending allowance to increase health coverage

Matching RRSP

Critical Illness Program

Addition of EAP program

Increased employee profit sharing program

Cuts in benefits

Nine (9) of the respondents, who indicated that there were no increases to their benefits,

provided information about decreases in benefits that occurred in the period since the introduction of

the living wage in the organizations. Two are specific, one saying their health benefit coverage and other

their dental benefits had decreased from 100% to 80%. These decreases happened in both for-profit and

non-profit environments. However, it is not possible to conclude these changes were a direct

consequence of the implementation of the living wage in those organizations.

Attitudes toward Current Work Environment

Employees were asked questions to help understand attitudes toward their jobs, work conditions and

work environment. All but one respondent answered this question. Table 9 shows the overall

distribution of the responses.



16

Table 9 – Rating the Statements Regarding Current Work Environment

Statements Strongly Agree Somewhat Agree Disagree

I feel motivated to do my job

115 (76.16%) 35 (23.18%) 1 (0.66%)

I am likely to stay with my employer for the next 3-5 years

93 (62.42%) 49 (32.89%) 7 (4.70%)

I have opportunities for education and training

85 (58.22%) 55 (37.67%) 6 (4.11%)

I am eager to go to work every day

83 (56%) 60 (40.54%) 5 (3.38%)

The response variations are similar in all the wage level subgroups, those who have always been

paid living wage, those who have had their wages increased and as well as those who do not earn living

wage. This suggests that attitudes towards the work environment are associated with far more than

wages and benefits alone. The statements that pay is not the most important motivation for the work

seem particularly true for the cohort of employees working for organizations who are the early adopters

of the living wage.

However, the in-depth interviews, when a minimum wage workplace is compared to living wage

work environment, the overall characteristics of workplace relationships and workplace culture are seen

to go hand in hand with the level of remuneration. When profit is valued over people, there is a

tendency towards ‘cut throat’, micro-managed, punitive work culture resulting in less productive

employees, competitiveness, lack of motivation and lack respect for the work-life balance. On the other

hand, respectful and responsible employers do tend to foster a more positive and respectful

environment in addition to paying decent wages.

Assessing Financial Situation

Basic monthly expenses (rent, groceries, utility bills, clothes, hygiene, medication, child care)

Additional expenses (movies, socializing, culture, car expenses, repairs)

Saving for Emergencies and future plans (vacation, savings, household item replacement)

An assumption made by tying the living wage rate calculation to the actual cost of living in

Waterloo Region is that workers should be earning enough to cover all their basic expenses (shelter,

food, utilities, clothing, and hygiene and health costs). The survey asked employees if being paid living

wage allows them to cover those basic expenses on a regular basis. Since the majority of the employees

surveyed had been paid living wage for more than two years, a reasonable expectation is that all of this

group of employees would be able to cover their basic expenses.



17

The Living Wage Waterloo Region calculation includes a number of additional expenses other

than the basic expenses listed above (car expenses, entertainment and recreation). Since the majority of

surveyed workers earn at least the living wage rate, it is expected they would be able to cover these

additional expenses over and above basic expenses notwithstanding individual needs and spending

behaviour. As presented in Table 10, this is not the case.

Table 10 – Assessing Financial Ability to Cover Monthly Expenses

Statements Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never

Basic Expenses (145 answers)

113 (77.93%) 28 (19.31%) 3 (2.07%) 0 (0%) 1 (0.69%)

Additional Expenses (145 answers)

66 (45.52%) 37 (25.52%) 33 (22.76%) 8 (5.52%) 1 (0.69%)

Putting Money Aside (148 answers)

58 (39.19%) 26 (17.57%) 34 (22.97%) 24 (16.22%) 6 (4.05%)

These results show a decreasing ability across all respondents to cover different types of expenses

as these become more discretionary.

77.93% are always able to pay basic expenses

45.52% are always able to pay for additional expenses,

39.19% are always able to put the money aside and save.

Basic monthly expenses

At the time of this survey, 98.12% of respondents are paid at or above a living wage

rate. Of the 121 respondents who were paid living wage before their employer joined LWWR,

80% report they always cover their basic monthly expenses, 17% reported they often did and

2.5% (3) did sometimes or never (Table 11).

Table 11 – Responses from employees paid living wage longer than two years regarding Basic Expenses

Statement I can cover basic monthly expenses (121 responses)

Always 97 (80.16%)

Often 21 (17.35%)

Sometimes 2 (1.65%)

Never 1 (0.82%) * reference to living expenses plus student debt



18

Wage Increase

Group (17)

Table 12 shows the distribution of answers given by employees who had

their wage increased to the living wage level during the two years since their

employer joined the Living Wage Employer Program. Of these employees, 59% reported always

covering their basic monthly expenses, 35% say they often do and only 1 reported sometimes

being able to do so.

Table 12 – Responses from employees whose wages increased in the last two years regarding Basic Expenses

Statement I can cover basic monthly expenses

Always 10 (58.82%)

Often 6 (35.29%)

Sometimes 1 (5.88%)

Never 0 (0.00%)

Table 13 shows distribution of answers given by the five participating

employees who are not paid living wage and joined the employer in the

last two years. Eighty percent (80%) reported they always covered their basic monthly expenses

and 1 (29%) said they often do.

Table 13 – Responses from employees who are not paid living wage regarding Basic Expenses

Statement I can cover basic monthly expenses

Always 4 (80%)

Often 1 (20%))

Sometimes 0 (0.00%)

Never 0 (0.00%)

Additional expenses & saving for emergencies and future plans

In the general distribution of answers, responses to the follow up questions regarding

additional expenses and ability to put money aside show diminishing purchasing and saving capacity of

the surveyed workers (Table 10). This is mirrored by the distribution of answers from the subgroup of

respondents that have been paid living wage longer than two years.

Not Paid Living

Wage Group (5)

Group



19

Table 14 – Responses from employees paid living wage longer than two years regarding Additional Expenses and Saving

Statement Additional Expenses (121 answers)

Savings (124 answers)

Always 60 (49.58%) 54 (43.54%)

Often 29 (23.96%) 23 (18.54%)

Sometimes 26 (21.48%) 27 (21.77%)

Rarely 5 (4.13%)) 15 (12.09%)

Never 1 (0.82%) 5 (4.03%)

As presented in Table 15, fewer employees who had their wage level increased

during the previous two years, report being able to pay for additional expenses (59%

compared to 74% of the employees paid at or above the living wage before two

years). As for putting money aside, 35% compared to 62% of those who had been paid at or above a

wage rate increased prior to their employer joining the living wage program.

Table 15 – Responses from employees who had their wages increased to a living wage level since 2014

Statement I can pay for additional expenses

I can put money aside

Always 5 (29.41%) 4 (23.52%)

Often 5 (29.41%) 2 (11.76%)

Sometimes 4 (23.52%) 3 (17.64%))

Rarely 3 (17.64%) 7 (41.17%)

Never 0 (0.00%) 1 (5.88%)

Five (5) employees are not paid a living wage rate, as summarized in Table 16. None state they can always pay for additional expenses (100% report being able to do so often or sometimes) and fewer can put money aside (80% report they can do so often or sometimes). One (1) reports they are rarely able to put money aside.

Not Paid Living

Wage Group (5)

Group

Wage Increase

Group (17)



20

As discussed further in the next section, these findings need to be put into a broader context of an

employee`s total household income.

Overall comments regarding financial situation

A total of 15 additional comments were provided, mostly by employees who have been paid the

living wage for longer than two years (13).

Seven (7) out of eight (8) respondents who answered all three questions regarding their ability

to pay expenses and save for the future with ‘Always’, referred to spouse’s income as a major

contributing factor of being able to cover for all the expenses. In all, there are ten (10) references to the

importance of partner’s income. One respondent reported earning the living wage rate, but also has to

work a second job to supplement their pay.

The Living Wage rate is an estimate based on the scenario of a family of four with two parents

both working full time. A number of respondents express doubt that if being a sole earner, $16.05 per

hour living wage rate would not be enough to cover the basic monthly expenses. Many caution of the

inability of wages to keep up with the fast increasing cost of living. Out of three (3) respondents who

mentioned high cost of living that makes it difficult to cover all the expenses even when working for the

living wage, two (2) referred to student debt being “borderline impossible” to repay with little money

left for basic expenses.

These comments are a reminder that family context is important to understanding the actual

purchasing power of any one individual wage earner (e.g. living with the parents, having a spouse who is

not a low-wage earner, age and number of children). This suggests it is important to ask contextual

questions in future surveys. This can suggest as well that the living wage rate based on the reference

Table 16 – Responses from employees who are not paid living wage

Statement I can pay for additional expenses

I can put money aside

Always 0 (0.00%) 0 (0.00%)

Often 3 (60%) 1 (20%)

Sometimes 2 (40%) 3 (60%)

Rarely 0 (0.00%) 1 (20%)

Never 0 (0.00%) 0 (0.00%)



21

family be periodically tested against other household types, particularly single adults, to make sure the

rate approximates expenses for single adults or other family types.

Part II – Decent Work The Province of Ontario started a review of the Ontario Employment Standards Act in 2014.

Many advocates, such as the Workers Action Centre24 in Toronto or $15 and Fairness25 campaign, have

brought to the foreground work related issues such as the need for paid sick days, elimination of

discrimination in the workplace, advanced work scheduling, fair wages and compensation, as well as

universal drug and dental benefits for low-income workers who do not receive social assistance

coverage and cannot afford to pay for basic health expenses. Additionally, based on the broader

determinants of decent work allowing for “social protection for families, better prospects for personal

development and social integration”26, the Waterloo Region Living Wage 2016 Employee Survey

included questions to assess the importance of working conditions, certain job-related benefits and

certain elements of a workplace culture.

Working Conditions All benefits listed in the survey questions, except telecommuting, are seen as important to some

extent by at least 90% of respondents (Table 17). Meaningful work is important or somewhat important

to 98% of respondents. The importance of meaningful work is validated by the follow up interviews.

24 Workers’ Action Centre consulted online at http://www.workersactioncentre.org 25 $15 and Fairness consulted online at http://15andfairness.org 26 Ministry of Labour, “Changing Workplaces Review Special Advisors’ Interim Report,” 2016 consulted on the web at

https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/about/pdf/cwr_interim.pdf

Table 17 – Working Conditions Important for Decent Work (150 answers, multiple answers possible)

Statements Important Somewhat Important Not Important N/A

Having Meaningful Work 137 (91.33%)

12 (8.00%)

1 (0.67%)

0 (0.00%)

Knowing Work Schedule in Advance

125 (83.89%)

19 (12.75%)

2 (1.34%)

3 (2.01%)

Full-time work for one employer 122 (81.33%)

23 (15.33%)

2 (1.33%)

3 (2.00%)

Paid Sick Days 116 (77.33%)

28 (18.67%)

2 (1.33%)

4 (2.67%)

Assistance with Health/Special Needs

109 (73.15%)

31 (20.81%)

3 (2.01%)

6 (4.03%)

Flexible Hours 100 (66.67%)

43 (28.67%)

7 (4.67%)

0 (0.00%)

Telecommuting and working from home

40 (27.03%)

52 (35.14%)

43 (29.05%)

13 (8.78%)



22

Ninety-seven percent (97%) of employees surveyed report it is important or somewhat

important to know their work schedule in advance and to be able to work fulltime for one employer.

Comments made

One of the comments regarding the work-life balance to make “allowances when person is

experiencing personal or family challenges” was strongly echoed in one of the follow up interviews.

Some examples given are extended maternity leave, flex time for medical appointments and

emergencies with children, vacation time to suit the family. Other comments express support for the

advanced work schedule, working from home and “being coached to think creatively through

difficulties”.

Work-related Benefits All the respondents rated drug and dental benefits as important, as well as having a pension

plan and/or RRSP contributions. Parenting benefits are rated low, probably because they may not have

young children or any plans to have children. Their answers may have been different if the question was

asked in a more general tone, as important to many, not just to the respondent.

Comments made:

- Part time workers and contract employees are not eligible for the benefits

- Top up parental leave and workplace child care

- Mental Health Days are needed alongside/with sick days for those working in “helping professions”.

Table 18 – Benefits Important for Decent Work (147 answers, multiple answers possible)

Statements Important Somewhat Important

Not Important N/A

Employer paid drug and/or dental benefits

131 (89.73%)

13 (8.90%)

0 (0.00%)

2 (1.37%)

Pension Plan or RRSP contribution

129 (89.58%)

14 (9.72%)

0 (0.00%)

1 (0.69%)

Disability Insurance as part of a benefits plan

102 (70.34%)

38 (26.21%)

2 (1.38%)

3 (2.07%)

Employer paid training and development opportunities

91 (63.19%)

47 (32.64%)

4 (2.78%)

2 (1.39%)

Life insurance as part of a benefits plan

80 (54.79%)

57 (39.04%)

7 (4.79%)

2 (1.37%)

Maternity/ Parental leave top up

55 (38.46%)

35 (24.48%)

29 (20.28%)

24 (16.78%)

Workplace childcare 16 (11.11%)

33 (22.92%)

62 (43.06%)

33 (22.92%)



23

- Vacation time is also an important benefit and when older employees change employment places --

the vacation should be tied to age of employee rather than to years of service with the new agency.

Workplace Culture

Consistent with the high importance of meaningful work when it comes to working conditions, a

process of sharing ideas is deemed important by all the employees.

Comments made:

Another comment made regarding work-life balance: “Recognizing that employees are people with lives,

not just means of productivity”.

Facilitation of active transportation, including safe and covered bicycle parking, is mentioned by two

respondents.

Two respondents, each from a different sector, do not support volunteerism during work hours.

Table 19 – Workplace culture characteristics important for decent work (149 responses, multiple answers possible)

Statements Important Somewhat Important Not Important N/A

A process for sharing ideas

125 (84.46%)

23 (15.54%)

0 (0.00%)

0 (0.00%)

Opportunities for advancement

117 (78.52%)

29 (19.46%)

3 (2.01%)

0 (0.00%)

Reimbursement for professional association fees

69 (46.31%)

44 (29.53%)

23 (15.44%)

13 (8.72%)

Annual bonuses 67 (44.97%)

46 (30.87%)

31 (20.81%)

5 (3.36%)

Staff volunteerism during work hours

37 (24.83%)

73 (48.99%)

34 (22.82%)

5 (3.36%)

Subsidy for transit/parking/car-sharing

35 (23.65%)

38 (25.68%)

57 (38.51%)

18 (12.16%)



24

Discussion

The exploratory questions in the survey were selected to help build a baseline with the first cohort

of employers in Living Wage Employer Program. These questions were formulated in broad strokes to be

used in subsequent annual surveys targeting new cohorts of employers so as not to return to the same

respondents year after year. The hope is that a more diverse range of organizations would join the

program as it grew such that employees would be starting from the lower recognition levels, not at the

Partner and Champion Level27.

What are the stories told by the employees as their companies join the living wage initiative?

Many comments made by the survey respondents reflect a sense of pride and alignment of personal

beliefs with those of their employer. There are many remarks about the increasing costs of living and

student debt that make living wage as currently set not adequate to cover all the basic costs. Some

respondents are critical about the actual cost of implementation of the initiative in the current economy

as staffing cost remain the highest expense in any organization. Some respondents referred, as well, to

the unequal impact on employees who have been with the organization longer and did not see any

benefits so far, especially as in some organizations introduction of the living wage would coincide with

the decrease in coverage for the health benefits.

How do employees understand the living wage?

It is instructive that working for a living wage employer is important to those employees who do not

earn a living wage or whose wages have been increased whereas of those who said it is not important,

most have been paid living wage for a long time. For most respondents though, working for a living

wage employer is important on the basis of fairness and human rights. Some are proud to work for a

responsible employer, while others state concern about the potential negative impact on the

organization, cost of staffing and trickle-down effect on customers, the community and the economy.

Are the employees experiencing material and motivational boost with their employers joining

Living Wage Employer Program?

The surveyed employees testify to a boost to motivation and pride in being with their employer.

However, few employees surveyed had an increase in wages making it difficult to reach conclusions

about the material boost of being paid better wages.

Assessing the impact on individual wage earners is complex considering that many, including those

who had already been paid a living wage, attribute their ability to cover basic and additional expenses to

their total family income. Further to this, is the cautionary reference of a living wage employee who

must work a second job to cover their expenses. Adding to this complexity is not knowing whether

employee benefit changes in some organizations are a result of the employer joining the Living Wage

27 Becoming a Living Wage Employer: Five Easy Steps to becoming a recognized Living Wage Employer in Waterloo Region, Living Wage

Waterloo Region, consulted online at http://livingwagewr.org/becoming-a-living-wage-employer



25

Employer Program. Without more data, it is difficult to speak in detail about the impact of boosting

wages.

Would employees corroborate some initial impact of the Living Wage Employer Program

described by employers?

The respondents confirmed some of the benefits that had been identified by their employers:

- Staff, whose values align with those of their organization, feel pride and motivated to work for that

employer

- Staff whose work and overall needs are recognized and respected through adequate pay give more to

the job (i.e. are more productive) and are more loyal to that organization

What can we learn from their stories to further adjust the direction in which we calculate the

Living Wage in Waterloo Region?

The progressive attrition of the number of employees able to cover more than their basic monthly

expenses is significant and suggests wage rates tell only part of the story of how employees meet

expenses. Since many report that they are able to cover expenses because they have a higher combined

family income, it is fair to look at different scenarios for calculating a living wage rate and to ensure the

resulting rate is tested for single earners and other family types.

What are the employees saying that can inform the current Decent Work28 & Changing

Workplace Review in Ontario29?

The direction Ontario has started to ensure strengthening the Canada Pension Plan, is important.

Further review of Employment Standards should consider decent work conditions such as predictable

schedules, opportunities for advancement and protection against being fired if an employee takes sick

days or can’t take shifts on short notice. Consideration should be given to the minimum benefits that

part-time and contract staff should be able to get such as paid sick days or health benefits like drug and

dental coverage, whether provided by the employer or as a public program. Living Wage is an important

tool in the system of supports to ensure Decent Work. What is learned here suggest there is value in a

wider campaign to educate employers about the importance of contributing to their employee`s work-

life balance and retirement security.

Employee surveys are essential for evaluating the impact of living wage programs. It is

important to reach out to more employees who have seen their wages increased through the process of

their employer having joined the Living Wage Employer Program as well as to those not yet being paid a

28 Mowat Centre, “Change Work: Valuing Decent Work in the Not-for-Profit Sector”, 2015 consulted on the web at

https://mowatcentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/publications/111_change_work.pdf 29 Ministry of Labour, “Changing Workplaces Review Special Advisors’ Interim Report,” 2016 consulted on the web at https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/about/pdf/cwr_interim.pdf



26

living wage rate. This will deepen the understanding of employee attitudes and experiences related to

the impact a living wage recognition program has on those who are most affected.



27

Appendix A

Employee Survey 2016



28

Invitation Sent by e-mail to Employers

Dear [Name of the Employer],

As we approach the end of the second year of the implementation of the Living Wage Waterloo Region, we are

following up with [Name of the Organization] as one of the first ten organizations who joined the initiative in order

to survey the employees and learn more about their experience working for a Living Wage employer. The

objective of the Living Wage Waterloo Region is to learn from both the employers and employees. This makes our

initiative unique and we hope to collect insights that would benefit other campaigns in Ontario and in Canada.

During the 2015 Employer Annual Follow Up Survey, you agreed to help us collect responses from the

employees in your organization. Part of the evaluation process for the Living Wage Employer Program is to hear

from employees what it means to them to work for a Living Wage Employer. We hope that some of

the employees would volunteer to do a follow up interview where we could find out about their past work

experience and how it compares to the current one with a Living Wage employer.

The link to the Employee Survey would lead to 12 questions helping us understand what the employees value most

about their workplace and how their lives are being impacted by the compensation they receive. Please have a

look at the Employee Survey and tell us if you would be able to share the link through your organization and

encourage the employees to respond.

The answers to the questions in this survey are anonymous and will be seen only by the Project

Evaluation Team. The survey results will only be presented in general themes with no individual references to

employees or employers. If quotes from the surveys are to be used in print or online publications, all identifying

information will be removed, such as the name of the employer, specifics regarding a workplace or other

information that could identify the respondent.

If you have any concerns regarding the survey or the use of the information collected through the survey, please

do not hesitate to contact me.

Many thanks,

Program Manager

http://wordpress.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b7c89374440bbc399fde5b1d3&id=c91ff41145&e=df7819b565



29

Survey

Living Wage Employee Survey2016

Thank you for your support to the Living Wage Waterloo Region

Thank you for offering your time to answer the questions in this survey to help us better understand the

experience of workers employed by businesses and agencies committed to paying the Living Wage. The

survey may take about 15 minutes to complete.

Your answers to the questions on this survey are anonymous and will be seen only by the Project

Evaluation Team. Individual responses will not be shared with your employer. The survey results will

only be presented in general themes with no individual references to employees or employers. If quotes

from the surveys are to be used in print or online publications, all identifying information will be

removed, such as the name of the employer, specifics regarding a workplace or other information that

could identify the respondent.

If you have any questions regarding the survey or the use of the information collected through the

survey, please contact the Living Wage Waterloo Region Program Manager 519-745-8458 x 250. If you

encounter any technical difficulties when completing the survey please contact Aleksandra Petrovic at

[email protected] or 519-579-1096.

The 2016 Living Wage hourly rate in Waterloo Region is $16.05.

Your employer joined the Living Wage Waterloo Region initiative between April and November 2014.

Living Wage employers have committed paying all employees at least $16.05 per hour. It may take these

employers a few years to be able to pay that amount to all their employees (e.g. part timers, contracted

service workers) so the process encourages a step by step progression towards the goal of paying all full

and part time employees the Living Wage.

1. What type of organization do you work for?

a. For-profit

b. Non-profit

c. Not sure

2. To the best of your knowledge, what is the size of your employer organization?

a. Small (fewer than 10 employees)

b. Mid-size (11-50)

c. Large (more than 50 employees)



30

3. Before beginning this survey, were you aware that you work for an employer committed to

paying a Living Wage?

a. Yes

b. No

4. How important is it for you to work for a Living Wage Employer?

a. Very Important

b. Somewhat important

c. Not important

Please Explain:

5. Is your current pay rate above or under the Living Wage hourly rate? Please chose one response

that applies to you?

How to know if you are paid the Living Wage? Estimate of a monthly and bi-weekly after tax pay

based on the Waterloo Region Living Wage rate of $16.05/hr for 37.5 hours per week.

If paid monthly, after tax pay would be $1,873.28

If paid bi-weekly (every two weeks), after tax pay would be $864.59

a. I am paid at or above the Living Wage level and have been since before my employer

joined the Living Wage program two years ago.

b. I am paid at or above the Living Wage level and my wage was increased to the Living

Wage level since my employer joined the Living Wage program two years ago.

c. I am not paid at or above the Living Wage level and have been working for my employer

less than two years.

d. I am not paid the Living Wage level now and have been working for my employer longer

than two years.

6. Have you received an increase in employee benefits (e.g. health and dental, pension) since your

employer has become recognized as a Living Wage employer?

a. Not applicable, I started working here after November 2014

b. No, I have not seen any changes

c. Yes

If yes, please specify:

7. Tell us how you would rate the following statements regarding your current working

environment?

Options: Strongly Agree, Somewhat Agree, Disagree

a. I feel motivated to do my job.

b. I am eager to go to work every day.



31

c. I am likely to stay with my employer for the next 3-5 years.

d. I have opportunities for education and training

8. How would you describe your financial situation?

Options: Always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely, Never

a. I can cover basic monthly expenses (rent, groceries, utility bills, clothes, hygiene,

medication, child care)

b. I can pay for additional expenses (movies, go out to a restaurant, car expenses, repairs)

c. I can put money aside for emergencies and future plans (vacation, savings, household

item replacement

Other comments:

9. What working conditions do you find important for decent work?

Options: Important, Somewhat important, Not important, N/A

a. Having the opportunity to work full-time hours for one employer

b. Having the opportunity to work flexible hours

c. Having meaningful work

d. Knowing your work schedule at least a week in advance

e. Having paid sick days

f. Employer assistance with health/special needs

g. Having the opportunity for telecommuting (working from home)

Other:

10. What benefits do you find important for decent work?

Options: Options: Important, Somewhat important, Not important, N/A

a. Employer paid drug and/or dental benefits

b. Disability Insurance as part of a benefits plan

c. Life insurance as part of a benefits plan

d. Workplace childcare

e. Employer paid training and development opportunities

f. Maternity/Parental leave top up

g. Pension Plan or RRSP contribution

Other:



32

11. What do you find important regarding workplace culture for decent work?

Options: Important, Somewhat important, Not important, N/A

a. A process for sharing ideas

b. Staff volunteerism during work hours

c. Subsidy for transit/parking/car-sharing

d. Annual bonuses

e. Reimbursement for professional association fees

f. Opportunities for advancement

Other:

12. Do you have other comments you would like to make?

Interview Opportunity

We would like to interview employees who started working for their current employer prior to

November 2014. If you are interested in participating in an interview, please contact Aleksandra Petrovic

at 519-579-1096 or [email protected]. This interview is expected to take approximately

20 minutes.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this survey or the use of the information collected

through the survey, please contact the Living Wage Waterloo Region Program Manager Greg deGroot-

Maggetti 519-745-8458 x 250.

If you have any technical difficulties completing the survey, please contact

[email protected].



33

Appendix B

Employee Interview Questions 2016



34

Follow Up Interview Questions

Living Wage Employee Follow up Interview 2016

Thank you for supporting the initiative and taking the time to have a more in-depth conversation about

some of the questions from the survey.

We would like to learn more about your current experience working in a company committed to the

living wage and compare it to the previous work experiences, possibly in organizations that did not pay a

living wage. That would include asking you more about decent work in general.

The answers you give may be used in reports but all the information that would potentially identify the

employee or the employer will be removed.

Employee Survey

1. How did you learn your employer was committed to the living wage and what did it mean to

you?

2. Did you notice other changes in the workplace that coincided with the employer joining the

living wage?

3. Does working for a living wage employer change your attitude towards your job?

4. Pensions, drugs and dental benefits are important for many people. What benefits do you value

most and why?

5. Many people say that meaningful work is very important in defining decent work. What do you

see as most important for decent work?

6. Is workplace culture something that you look at when you choose your job? What do you value

most?

Comparison with previous employment

7. Were you paid the living wage in previous jobs? Did you have the same benefits at the previous

job?

8. Were your attitudes towards your previous job different? Why?

9. Anything else you would like to add regarding your previous work experience?

Living Wage

10. What do you think that living wage should include (cover the basics, additional expenses, saving

the future)?

waterloo regionlivingwagewr.org/.../10/...waterloo-region-employee-survey-report.pdf · 1 employer...

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