Survey finds fewer than a quarter of Canadian employees describe their wellness as ‘very good’

While respondents cited physical, mental and financial health as the main determinants of overall wellness, they noted environmental and social aspects must also be considered. Workers between ages 18 and 30 were most likely to say social wellness was one of the top contributors to their overall wellness.

Read: How wellness is guiding employers, employees into the future workplace

Nearly all (96 per cent) employees agreed that living, working and studying in a safe and healthy environment can enhance overall wellness. Notably, the majority of workers aged 50 and older said their environmental wellness is better than all other wellness aspects that were considered in the survey.

The majority of employees said their employer plays an important role in the financial (84 per cent) and mental (73 per cent) aspects of their wellness. Roughly 80 per cent of respondents said they’d be more inclined to stay with their employer for the long term if they were offered more benefits. Employees aged 30 and younger, women and first-generation Canadians were most likely to expect more support from their employer for their social wellness.

When asked about their biggest concerns, respondents cited the economy and the environment. Canadian-born respondents were more likely to be concerned about inflation and more likely to list it as one of their biggest concerns (52 per cent), compared to newcomers who have been in Canada for up to six years (36 per cent) or first-generation Canadians who have been here for six years or more (39 per cent). Finances were one of the biggest concerns among newcomers (52 per cent) and LGBTQ2S+ employees (48 per cent).

Read: 90% of employers maintaining investments in employee well-being: survey