Should you be worrying about ‘time theft’ at work? Plus, how to land a job with a competitive company

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Three years after the COVID-19 outbreak, most companies have adopted a hybrid model of work as their baseline culture, meaning employees spend at least some time working from home. At the same time, some employers are becoming increasingly suspicious of just how much time their staff spends doing the work they’re being paid for.
In January, a B.C. tribunal ordered an accountant to pay her former employer more than $2,600 after tracking software showed she engaged in “time theft” while working from home. Meanwhile, U.S. tech giants such as Meta, Alphabet and Amazon recently called workers back into the office, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg saying an internal analysis of employee performance data suggested that engineers working in person “get more done.”
If the idea of time theft becomes a growing concern for employers, the resulting crackdowns around flexible and remote work could have troubling implications for all workers, with experts saying it could hit women hardest of all.
Read more about time theft and its implications for women.
A decade or so ago, the idea of a gig economy was interesting, and maybe enticing as well. After all, the gold-watch-era of work had ended and most workers figured that they would be job hopping over the course of a career. Job hopping over the course of a year was a leap, but it seemed to bring with it some intriguing possibilities, such as the ability to set one’s own hours and working conditions and maybe even to earn more money than would be possible as an employee. Or so went the hope.
As of 2023, some things have changed. For one, the PR around gig work seems to be resolutely negative, with The New York Times recently declaring that gig work is no longer cool. Others have gone further, suggesting that it is a throw-back to the piece-work era and steps ahead of a return to child labour. Whether those things are true might be a matter of opinion, but in the dozen or so years that the term has been floated, a few truths about gig work have emerged.
Read about the “winners and losers” of the gig work era.
At a time when unemployment is at near record lows, many sectors are struggling to find talent – and after a recent spike in inflation, too, it may seem like an opportune time to ask for a raise. But on the flip side, many firms have recently cut staff and the Canadian economy has begun to cool.
Such seemingly opposing market signals can make it difficult for Canadians to discern how much power they have at the bargaining table. While inflation adds pressure to negotiate for more, experts warn that asking for too much could backfire. That’s because in an uncertain economy, employers may be more inclined to take a second- or third-choice candidate who doesn’t demand as much money, while existing staff who negotiate for higher pay could be targeted in future layoffs if they fail to adequately prove their worth.
Read why negotiating salary in this climate might also mean negotiating for perks that can save you money.
Last year, Adrienne Smith argued a case before the BC Human Rights Tribunal that, in their own words, was “a struggle.”
“I wish it had not been necessary to argue it,” says Smith, a Vancouver-based transgender rights activist and lawyer who runs a boutique firm specializing in law that affects marginalized communities. “But really, [my client’s] working conditions are quite common.”
The case concerned a server named Jessie Nelson, a gender fluid, non-binary transgender person who asked their employer to use they/them pronouns for them at the restaurant they worked at. While most co-workers complied with this request, there was one holdout: a bartender, who repeatedly used she/her pronouns for Nelson and provocatively gendered nicknames like “sweetheart” and “honey.”
Eventually, this resulted in a verbal altercation between Nelson and the person deliberately misgendering them, although the result was not what you’d expect. It was Nelson, not the bartender, who was fired before their next shift.
Read the full article.
It’s 12 p.m. on a Friday afternoon in April and Elissa Riddell is enjoying a day away from her desk. It’s not a vacation or a long weekend for the tech marketing director, though. She’s had Fridays off since 2019 when she successfully negotiated herself into a four-day work week. In fact, Ms. Riddell has worked four days a week at her last three employers – one of which has since expanded the modified schedule company-wide.
“Some weeks, I use my Friday to get caught up on deep reading or heads-down brainstorming,” Ms. Riddell explains. “But it’s my choice to use that time. Other weeks, we’re going to the campsite early, or I’m scrubbing baseboards.”
During Ms. Riddell’s four days at work, she says that she’s more productive and focused.
“Knowing I only have 32 hours in a workweek, I’m very conscientious of where I spend my time,” she says.
Read the full article.
Question: I’m very keen to work at a particular high-profile tech company. I’ve got some good experience under my belt and I’ve applied for a couple of posted jobs, but I’m worried my applications are disappearing amongst the hundreds of other people also applying for these competitive positions. How can I get an “in” with this company and get noticed?
We asked Zoe McGhie, senior career coach at General Assembly, to tackle this one:
When it comes to applications, you need to make sure your resume is Applicant Tracking System (ATS) friendly. Companies use software systems to collect, track and assess applications. Proper ATS resume formatting will help ensure ATS can accurately read your resume and determine whether you are a good fit for the role before your resume is passed on to a real person. ATS scans your resume for relevant keywords relating to the job description and requirements, so be sure to tailor your application to the job posting. There are plenty of free, online articles and resources with tips for creating ATS friendly resumes if you need help. One good resource is Jobscan, a tool that allows you to scan your resume against any job posting you want to apply for and will provide a report to help you understand what areas need improving and how to optimize it for ATS.
Next, build your brand. Recruiters use LinkedIn to find and assess candidates, so it’s important to have a strong LinkedIn profile and brand. Stay active on LinkedIn by following the company of interest and interacting with their posts. Having a strong brand and LinkedIn profile will help you stand out. And if you’re applying to the job through LinkedIn, you need to tailor your profile and skills section to the role you want as well.
Lastly, network! More than 80 per cent of jobs are filled through networking. This is the best way to get noticed. After building a strong LinkedIn profile, start reaching out to people who work at the company. Try targeting people who work on or manage the team you want to join, or those who are in similar roles to the one you’re applying to. Set up coffee chats with them to learn more about the company culture, team dynamic and ask for any tips to help you stand out in your application. Be sure to show interest in them too! Mutual interest and conversation go a long way in relationship building. Conducting a successful coffee chat and building strong relationships with people at the company can oftentimes lead to referrals or additional support. If they love chatting with you, then they’ll want you on their team and will put in the work to help make it happen.
Keep consistent with your efforts and don’t be shy to keep reaching out. Always follow up if you don’t hear back the first time. It’s normal practice when advancing your career, especially in tech. Remember, the people you are reaching out to for help have been on the other side of the process before.
Submit your own questions to Ask Women and Work by e-mailing us at [email protected].