The Human Element

The Missing Metric: Why the Human Element Must Lead WFA 2026

​As the 2026 Workforce Adjustment (WFA) ripples through federal departments like Statistics Canada, Health Canada, and ESDC, the air in our offices has changed. What used to be a space of collaboration has, for many, transformed into a high-stakes competition for survival. While the government speaks in the language of "expenditure reviews" and "headcount targets," those of us on the ground are seeing a much more troubling reality: a process that has largely forgotten the human beings behind the PRI numbers.

​The current approach to downsizing feels dangerously mechanical, often ignoring the unique personal contributions that keep our public service resilient. When the WFA process treats every "indeterminate position" as interchangeable, we don't just lose staff; we lose the diverse fabric of perspectives that drive innovation. A truly inclusive government must recognize that equity means valuing the whole person, rather than forcing everyone through a standardized meat-grinder of retention criteria that fails to capture the true human value brought to the table every day.

​This lack of humanity is perhaps most visible in the widening generational gap being created by the WFA. We are seeing a tension between the seasoned experts and the rising stars that threatens the very foundation of our workplace culture. Our veteran public servants, who hold decades of institutional memory and mentorship capacity, are being pressured toward the door through early retirement incentives. Simultaneously, our early-career professionals—the very individuals who represent the future of a modernized, digital-first public service—are facing "last-in, first-out" protocols. This isn't just an HR problem; it’s a failure of age equity. A truly diverse and inclusive workforce must protect both the wisdom of experience and the energy of potential, rather than forcing them into a zero-sum game.

​If Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are to be more than just buzzwords, they must be the lens through which every WFA decision is made. Compassion isn't an "extra" to be added once the budgets are balanced; it is the foundation of a resilient workforce. When we ignore the disproportionate impact these cuts have on equity-seeking groups, or employees at different life stages, we undermine the very values the public service claims to uphold.

​As we navigate this period of uncertainty, we must demand a process that sees us as more than just interchangeable units. We are mentors, community members, and dedicated public servants. It is time for the WFA process to reflect the reality that a government is only as strong as the human beings who power it.