Canada (FR)
Now in its 16th year, Alight’s landmark Employee Mindset Study offers an in-depth look at how employees feel about their wellbeing and employee experience and what they expect from their employers at important inflection points in their lives, both at home and at work.
This year for the first time, we surveyed 1,000 employees across Canada. The overarching theme is that employees are struggling in their personal wellbeing and in their perceptions of the workplace. Personal stress, financial pressure, healthcare costs and complexity and uncertainty about the future continue to weigh heavily on their minds. And they often feel alone and unsupported in handling these issues.
Read the 2026 Alight Canada Employee Mindset Study
Across healthcare, leaves of absence, finances and more, we learned that employees are struggling to feel confident in their decisions, secure in their ability to manage whatever life throws at them or even comfortable using the benefits provided by their employers.
Here are just a few of the eye-opening findings revealed in the 2026 Alight Canada Employee Mindset Study.
Healthcare
Only 19% typically feel very confident when making health decisions
57% feel at least occasionally overwhelmed or unsure about a healthcare decision
48% have been frustrated by the long wait times for publicly funded care
Leave of Absence
35% didn’t take a leave that they needed
30% of those who didn’t take a needed leave say the process was too difficult
Only 4 in 10 understand their employer’s leave benefits or how their employer's legislated leave benefits work alongside government programs
Financial
Only 32% rate their financial wellbeing positively
43% are worried the money they have or save won’t last
Only 26% would be able to cover more than six months of expenses if they lost their job
The underlying message of the 2026 Canada Mindset Study is clear: employees crave support in the moments that matter. Offering relevant and diverse benefit programs is the first step. Employers that also pair digital convenience—including emerging AI-enabled guidance—with trusted human expertise and an environment that makes it safe and easy to use available resources can strengthen trust, improve wellbeing, enhance productivity and give people more reasons to stay and grow.
Read the 2026 Alight Canada Employee Mindset Study
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