Employee mental health is the top well-being issue in Canada, according to 72 per cent of employers, surveyed for Aon’s 2021 global well-being survey.
Work-life balance followed closely behind at 69 per cent, followed by burnout (52 per cent), virtual work environment and working environment/culture (both at 39 per cent), as the top well-being issues Canadian employers said they’re facing.
Read: Global employers increasing emphasis on work-life balance: survey
The global survey garnered responses from 1,648 companies in 41 countries, including 140 firms in Canada. Responses were weighted to produce a statistically significant representation of organizations globally, regionally and by country.
Globally, attracting and retaining talent (42 per cent), evolving to meet changing market needs (43 per cent) and the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic (37 per cent) are top factors negatively impacting businesses across regions, the survey found.
Of the employers surveyed around the world, 42 per cent said employee engagement/interest was a challenge when expanding or starting well-being initiatives. When asked what barriers prevented companies from doing more to develop meaningful work connections and foster a sense of belonging and social inclusivity, two key obstacles cited by companies surveyed were the virtual/remote environment (27 per cent) and lack of overall employee engagement in the organization (20 per cent). Required social-distancing measures (38 per cent) and work/shift hours (21 per cent) were also in the top four reasons.
Read: Employers focusing on engagement, mental health of remote workers