‘Hustle culture’ leading to more burnt out Canadians

Michele Romanow, CEO and Co-Founder, Clearco, the world’s largest e-commerce investor, discusses her partnership with beer brand Heineken and a survey about ‘hustle culture’.

PRESS RELEASE

TORONTO, Nov. 16, 2022 /CNW/ – As the holidays approach, more than half of working Canadians blame the phenomenon known as “hustle culture” for their lack of work-life balance, saying they feel burnt out, according to a new survey commissioned by Heineken Canada.

Earlier this month, market researcher Maru Public Opinion surveyed employed Canadians nationwide on the impact of hustle culture, a mentality that glorifies overworking, and found that the generation of Canadians in the early stages of their careers feel its impact most strongly.

Nearly half (46 per cent) of legal drinking age respondents under the age of 35 reported that they cancel or reschedule plans due to work during the holiday season, and more than one in three (36 per cent) said they work more to make up for their time off, logging into email, messaging apps and other work-related programs during the season.

Michele Romanow

Heineken aims to challenge this status quo through a new partnership and campaign featuring entrepreneur and TV personality Michele Romanow and an innovative and engaging new device called The Closer: a high-tech bottle opener that shuts down work applications when users open a bottle of Heineken with it. Together, Heineken and Romanow are encouraging workers to log out of work and tune in to time with friends and family.

“As an entrepreneur in Canada, I’ve seen too many people burn out in the pursuit of professional goals,” said Romanow, CEO and co-founder of Clearco, the world’s largest e-commerce investor. “We can all understand the value of hard work, but too many of us undervalue the need to unwind, disconnect, and prioritize our personal lives and own wellbeing.”

The new Heineken campaign serves as a reminder to Canadians to disconnect from work and reconnect with their own wellbeing, friends and family. To support that effort, select Canadians will now be able to get their hands on their own Closer device via Heineken Canada on Instagram by tagging a friend who needs a reminder to switch off.

“In today’s digital age of ‘always on’ remote work, it’s clearly a challenge for many Canadians beginning their careers to protect their work-life balance and their wellbeing,” said Laurent Delmouly, managing director and CEO for Heineken Canada. “This holiday season, whether you work at home, in the office, or both, Heineken encourages Canadians to disconnect from the grind and connect more with friends and family.”

For more information, check out @heinekenca and #WorkResponsibly.

HEINEKEN® is the world’s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 250 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through “Brewing a Better World”, sustainability is embedded in the business and delivers value for all stakeholders. HEINEKEN® has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets.

(Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Podcast. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald, covering sports, crime, politics, health, faith, city and breaking news, and business. He works as well as a freelance writer for several national publications and as a consultant in communications and media relations/training. Mario was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the World by PR News – the only Canadian to make the list)