June 2018

Business Travel, Community Events, Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Lifestyle talk

Toronto Newcomers Groups and Activities

June 28, 2018

Whether you have located to Toronto for work or for pleasure, chances are if you are new to the city you may not know very many people yet. Making friends in a new city can be challenging at first – it’s difficult to break the ice when everyone is a stranger. There are many fun activities and Toronto newcomers groups that are the perfect opportunity to connect with others. Here are a few of the best sources for finding activities and things to do in Toronto:

The Toronto Newcomers Club

The Toronto Newcomers Club was created to make it easier for new residents of the city to meet others and learn what Toronto can offer. They host a number of events including monthly coffee meetings as well as other interest groups such as hiking groups, book clubs, foodie outings, wine tastings, yoga, skiing and much more.

Membership is open to anyone who has been a resident of the Toronto area for less than 3 years and the annual membership fee is $50. You can attend two of the events first to see if you would like to become a member, then once you join you can be a member for as long as you want.

“I Wanted to Do That… Just Not Alone”

If there is something that you want to in Toronto but you don’t know anyone to do it with? This is a

meetup group in Toronto that is perfect for meeting friends who also want to do things in the city but don’t know anyone.

The aim of the group is to help you find someone whom you can go on Toronto adventures with – whether that is seeing a movie, checking out a new restaurant, going for a hike or learning a new language. If there is something that you want to do in Toronto, suggest it to the group and see who else wants to join!

Internations Toronto Newcomers Group

Internations is a worldwide organization that hosts meetups for expats and newcomers in 390 cities all over the world – including Toronto. Their TO chapter is a great place to connect with other members of the community and make friends.

There are many sub-groups that you can join within Internations Toronto depending on your interests – such as the Toronto Nightlife Group, the Toronto Arts and Culture Group, Toronto Independent Coffee Lovers Group (dedicated to checking out independently owned coffee shops in the city), Toronto Wine Appreciation Group, Toronto Film Enthusiasts Group and more. Take a look and find something fun to do with people who share your interests!

Business Travel, Lifestyle talk, Relocation

Millennial Relocation & Mobile Generation

June 12, 2018

Would you move to a new location, if it meant an exciting career opportunity? Millennial Relocation – A study cited in this article reported that 85% of millennials stated they would be willing to move to a different city for a job.

That’s a significant percentage of people who would be willing to completely uproot themselves and move somewhere new. In the past, it used to be less common for someone to relocate for a job – instead they would focus on career options in their local area.

But, it seems that the millennial generation is more mobile in general and more open minded to relocation. In fact, the same survey also found that 82% of millenials believe that relocation can be an effective way to move up the corporate ladder.

The Young and the Restless – Millennial Relocation

Being free to move around can certainly be an advantage. If the job market in a particular city isn’t offering any exciting prospects, millennials can simply move to another market. Hopping between jobs has less of a stigma than it did in the past – it’s seen as a way to “level up” in your career more quickly by exposing yourself to a range of different experiences and learning new skills.

In the article “Job Hopping is the ‘New Normal’ for Millennials” Forbes writer Jeanne Meister explains that the average length of a professional engagement is 4.4 years and 91% of millennials expect that they will move on to another position in less than 3 years.

In “Millennials in the Workforce – What is Their Impact on Mobility Programs?” author Anne Rossier makes a few interesting points about why the millennial generation is more open to relocation.

As she points out, millenials are more likely to have an international mindset and to be open to travel. The world has fewer borders for them and they see millennial relocation and working abroad as a chance to gain an interesting life experience.

Tips for Successfully Relocating Millennial Employees

If your company is relocating millennial workers, here are some important tips to keep in mind:

Typically, millennials want to live in urban centres where they can be close to culture, shops, dining and entertainment. They often prefer this style of living, as opposed to being isolated from the city in a suburb type environment. So, keep this in mind when considering the location of any accommodation you will offer.
Look at the millennial relocation as an opportunity for the employee to experience professional growth and present it in this way.
Make sure that you are offering a fair and attractive relocation package, which will help to make the move easier for your employee financially and support them while they get set up in their new city.
Millennial workers may want to be more involved in the decision making process of their move – researching accommodation options and neighborhoods to learn more about where they will be moving to. Be flexible enough to allow them to take ownership of as much of the process as possible.

Of course, while every employee is different – paying attention to millennial generation trends will help you to create a workplace culture that appeals to the new generation of worker and helps them feel at home wherever they are working. Don’t forget to also check out how Canada offers positive benefits for a destination for relocation.