Over the past years, the advantages of working for the Canadian federal government has been called into question. The increase in employees’ contributions to their pension plans, the continuing conversation about decreasing employees’ sick days, and the relatively recent job cuts and slow hiring have caused many individuals to look harder at a profession with the Government of Canada.
Regardless, the Government of Canada continues to be the employer of choice for many individuals. Below I will elaborate on some of the benefits of working in the Canadian federal government:
Overall Benefits
1) Job Security – Recent job cuts have caused many individuals to feel nervous about a career in the Government of Canada. However, compared to job cuts at a global and national level, one can note that this trend was common across Canada (in most sectors) considering the global financial environment that we are in. Also, large job cuts in the Government of Canada such as those in 2012-13 usually occur every decade, which still provides a lot of stability in the modern workforce environment.
2) Pension – Finding an employer in Canada that provides a defined pension plan for its employees has become a very difficult task in Canada. However, the Government of Canada still provides a pension of up to 70 percent (using the salary of the five consecutive years when the employee made the highest salary).
3) Good dental and health benefits – The Canadian federal Government provides very good dental and health benefits for all of its full-time employees.
4) Competitive salaries and annual raises – Most professions in the Government of Canada will provide you with competitive salaries with annual raises (these raises help to compensate for inflation increases, however there are limits on this).
5) Vacation and holidays – Your starting vacation allowance is three weeks in addition to 11 statutory holidays. Every eight years, an employee’s vacation allowance increases by one week.
Personal Benefits
1) Make a difference in the lives of Canadians – Your work will impact the lives of many Canadians, which is a great benefit in itself.
2) Flexibility in the location of job – although a large majority of the positions in the Canadian federal Government are located in the National Capital Region, there are endless opportunities to work outside of Ottawa and even internationally.
3) Ability to try a new career – In the Government of Canada, a degree in a certain field does not confine you to that particular field forever. During one’s career, an employee often works on various subject matters in different departments which assists them to expand their knowledge base on a large range of issues.
4) Professional development programs – Many departments offer development programs that allow employees to be promoted to higher positions based on the attainment of certain competencies. Every year, employees are also required to developing a learning and training plan to ensure that they are developing the skills needed for their position, as well as to assist them to meet their personal goals.
5) Flexible schedules – The Government of Canada is increasingly promoting work/life balance to allow employees to find an equilibrium between their career and personal responsibilities. Telework, part-time work, income averaging, and compressed work weeks are just a few examples of methods that are being used to assist employees.