As COVID-19 distancing—and budgeting—measures continue, many HR leaders are re-evaluating the status of upcoming salary increases and short-term incentive payouts. The Conference Board of Canada has asked organizations across Canada how they’re managing pay planning for employees at all levels. Findings are now available here: Working Through COVID-19 – Pay Planning Survey.
 
Some findings: 

• 19 per cent of organizations are implementing a salary freeze, with an additional one-third considering doing so.
• In Alberta, the share of organizations implementing a salary freeze is higher: 30 per cent.
• Looking by industry, construction organizations in Canada are leading the pack, with 63 per cent of them putting a pause on salary increases. Both Canadian retail trade and real estate are feeling the pinch—33 per cent of organizations in these industries are also implementing a salary freeze.

 Survey responses were collected on Tuesday, April 14, 2020. These findings are part of a Conference Board of Canada series on work and pay during the COVID-19 pandemic. Themes explored so far are:

• Family responsibilities survey (April 9, 2020)
• Pay premium survey (April 1, 2020)
• Remote work policies and compensation survey (March 25, 2020)

Stay tuned for updates as this situation evolves.
 
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