Employee wellbeing hits new low as financial pressures weigh on Canadians: RBC Insurance poll
As financial pressures continue to affect Canadians’ physical and mental health, group benefits remain one of the strongest ways employers can support their employees – yet their full value often goes untapped by those who need them most Toronto, ON (July 21, 2026) – Employee wellbeing in Canada has declined across every metric over the past year, according to poll results from RBC Insurance. The study shows that Canadians’ overall level of wellbeing rated as excellent or good has dropped by 9 percentage points to 56% in 2026 from 65% in 2025. This downward trend is consistent across all dimensions of wellbeing: Mental health dropped 7 points: 52% (2026) vs. 59% (2025) Physical health dropped 6 points: 53% (2026) vs. 59% (2025) Financial health dropped 2 points: 42% (2026) vs. 44% (2025) The largest declines are seen among workers aged 18–34 which saw its overall year-over-year wellbeing score drop by 18 points (from 67% to 49%) and mental health scores fall by 14 points (from 56% to 42%). However, challenges aren’t limited to younger generations: workers aged 55–65 – traditionally the most satisfied cohort – are also experiencing declines. Overall wellbeing fell 8 points and mental health dropped 11 points....