Almost half (49 per cent) of Canadian workers said they value flexibility over hours or location more now than prior to the coronavirus pandemic, while 40 per cent value it the same as pre-pandemic, according to a LinkedIn Corp. survey.

The survey, which polled 1,725 employees in Canada in March, found 45 per cent of respondents said they value work-life balance more now, while 44 per cent value it as much as they did previously. And 40 per cent said they place more emphasis on benefits, such as health plans and paid time off, now than prior to the coronavirus crisis, while 50 per cent said they find benefits equally as important as they were before the pandemic.

Read: 58% of Canadian workers want hybrid-work arrangements post-pandemic: survey

About a third (35 per cent) of respondents said they believe building transferable skills is more important now than prior to the pandemic, while 55 per cent find it equally as important. Salary was also valued as much now as it was pre-pandemic, according to 57 per cent of respondents, while only 34 per cent believe it’s more important during these uncertain times. Meanwhile, 34 per cent said they believe workplace culture is more important now, while it remains unchanged in priority for 54 per cent of respondents. About a quarter (26 per cent) of respondents said they view employers’ visible commitment to diversity and inclusion as more important now than pre-March 2020, while 67 per cent view it as just as important as before.

Read: Diversity, inclusion at work a priority for younger employees: survey

In a separate survey conducted by the social media company in March, 66 per cent of Canadian employees said they’ve enjoyed having more flexibility in where they work since the beginning of the pandemic, while only three per cent said they experienced the opposite.

And just over half (52 per cent) of those surveyed said flexibility around when they work has improved, with eight per cent saying it has declined. Meanwhile, respondents were almost evenly split in how they view their company’s work culture, as 29 per cent said it has improved, while 21 per cent said their work culture has declined since March 2020.

Read: U.S. employers with flex work rethinking approach to total rewards, pay: report