fence (25 per cent) and concerned (24 per cent) about their abil-ity
to adopt the technology, while 14 per cent stated that they
were terrified.
This can be attributed directly to a lack of confidence in talent
with AI-specific expertise; 70 per cent of respondents did not have
confidence in their board’s skillset to support an AI transformation
strategy, while separately, 43 per cent cited lack of leadership exper-tise
to introduce the technology as the top concern with respect to
implementation. This surpassed cost versus return on investment
(20 per cent), data governance (19 per cent), lack of buy-in by the
CEO and board (11 per cent) and privacy concerns (eight per cent).
“CFOs are well advised to prioritize data strategy and AI with
a view of creating value for the organization,” said Woledge. “AI
adoption should be of top concern for business leaders today, who
will otherwise face the risk of lagging behind competitors or being
disrupted. On a positive note, we found that AI adoption is on the
radar of most CFOs and audit chairs, with close to half (44 per
cent) thinking about implementation.”
THE MICRO-BREAK IS CANADA’S ANSWER TO
VACATION DEPRIVATION
Expedia® released the results of the 2018 Expedia Vacation
Deprivation® report, an annual study of vacation habits among
employed adults in North America, South America, Europe and
Asia-Pacific. The report revealed that over half of Canadians
(55 per cent) use their vacation days by incorporating some ele-ment
of a “quick trip” into their plans throughout the year, such
as a long-weekend or a one or two-day micro-break. This latest
travel trend is a convenient and affordable solution to vacation
deprivation, stepping away from the daily stressors and taking
some much deserved “you” time. On average, Canadian workers
receive 17 vacation days and take 15 of them – leaving two days
on the table. In total for 2018, the expected result is 40.1 million
unused vacation days.
MILLENNIALS ARE WEEKEND WARRIORS
With increasingly demanding commitments, almost two-thirds
(58 per cent) of millennials are integrating short weekend trips
into their schedules – the highest of any age group. Traveller
behaviour supports this trend – Expedia.ca data shows an
increase in demand of more than 25 per cent for hotel bookings
for one-night stays in Canada for 2017 versus 2016. Interestingly,
travellers are booking these super short holidays last-minute, with
more than half of micro-breaks being booked on Expedia.ca less
than six days before travel and more than two-in-five are booked
via a mobile device.
“The benefits to taking a vacation are immense and according
to this year’s study, Canadians felt better about themselves, held
more confidence and also believed they were better able to solve
problems following a vacation,” said Beverly Beuermann-King, a
Canadian work-life balance expert. “Though life gets busy, taking
time for yourself is so important for our well-being. That’s why the
solution of a micro-break can be very powerful. By having the abil-ity
to quickly reset, this will lead to increased productivity and an
overall better outlook on life.”
FROM COAST TO COAST CANADIANS
NEED MORE VACATION
Vacation deprivation is on the rise both globally (58 per cent)
and at home, with more than half of Canadians feeling vacation
news
antonioguillem / 123RF
12 ❚ NOVEMBER 2018 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
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