Employees are prioritizing workplace benefits plans amid an increasingly competitive job market, according to a new Ipsos survey for RBC Insurance Inc.
The survey, conducted among more than 1,000 working Canadians aged 18 and older, found 68 per cent would take a job with a good benefits plan over another that pays more but doesn’t offer benefits.
Nearly half of younger Canadian employees indicated their benefits plan didn’t sufficiently address their health and wellness needs in the past year and, among RBC Insurance group plan members, 49 per cent of new long-term disability claims among employees aged 18 to 35 were related to mental health in 2021.
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“It’s been such a challenging and unpredictable year for so many working Canadians, so it’s no surprise to see more employees prioritizing their health and wellness needs alongside other job considerations,” said Julie Gaudry, head of group benefits at RBC Insurance, in a press release. “And with the broader recent trend of people leaving their roles as a result of job dissatisfaction, businesses must consider the value of benefits to better support employee mental and financial health.
“Younger workers, in particular, are re-evaluating their personal needs and taking more proactive steps to address their mental-health concerns. It’ll be crucial for benefits providers and employers to keep up with the changing needs of a younger workforce.”
Read: Workplace well-being, mandatory vaccinations affecting Canadians’ mental health: survey