Canadian employees face growing mental health challenges, with many seeking better support from employers
A new report from GreenShield, Canada’s national non-profit health and benefits provider, reveals a major shift in Canadian employees’ expectations for mental health support in the workplace.
The data shows that mental health challenges are widespread across the workforce, with younger generations and marginalized groups facing heightened pressures. This increasing concern has created a strong demand for more accessible, inclusive, and culturally sensitive mental health benefits.
The report finds that over two-thirds of Canadian employees have experienced stress, anxiety, and burnout over the past year. Women and younger workers, especially those aged 18-24, report the highest levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
In fact, a third of Canadians would consider leaving their current job for more comprehensive mental health benefits. The trend is particularly prominent among younger generations and marginalized groups, including 63 percent of workers aged 18-24 and 57 percent of 2SLGBTQ+ employees.
Mental health remains a top concern, with 67 percent of employees having dealt with such challenges in the past 12 months, particularly stress and anxiety. Confidentiality is highly valued, with 85 percent of employees ranking it as the most important factor when accessing mental health services.
Additionally, more than half of employees—62 percent—believe it is important that their therapist understands their cultural background, language, or religion, with this number rising to 71 percent among workers aged 18-24.
A growing frustration with the current system is also evident, as 75 percent of employees express the need for easier access to health professionals and simplified claims reimbursement processes.
“These findings send a clear message: Canadians want more from their employers when it comes to mental health. The fact that a third of workers would leave for better mental health support highlights just how critical this issue has become,” states Zahid Salman, president, and CEO of GreenShield.
“As mental health challenges grow, so does the expectation for employers to step up. It’s not just about offering benefits—it’s about delivering the right kind of care that’s accessible, confidential, and culturally responsive to meet the diverse needs of today’s workforce.”
As a non-profit organization, GreenShield reinvests its earnings back into the community, allowing continued innovation in health solutions.
Through its health division, the company has rapidly become Canada’s fastest-growing mental health provider, offering a broad network of clinicians and a personalized therapist matching tool.
GreenShield+ is a platform that integrates benefits, telemedicine, pharmacy, mental health services, and more. This inclusive approach addresses the diverse needs of today's workforce by simplifying healthcare access and creating a unified experience for employees.
Nadim Kara, executive vice president, People and Culture at GreenShield, explains that meeting employee demands for personalized and seamless solutions helps employers attract and retain top talent.
“Employees are demanding more personalized, seamless solutions and employers who meet these evolving expectations are more likely to attract and retain top talent. GreenShield leads by example by offering our own employees total rewards that set the standard for modern benefits,” he says.
“Our total rewards program allows employees to tailor their experience to what matters to them most. Our offering combines comprehensive mental health coverage with an integrated, easy-to-use platform. From connecting with healthcare providers to checking coverage and getting reimbursed, this solution meets the varied needs of today’s workforce and helps them prioritize their well-being.”
GreenShield’s total rewards program emphasizes mental health, social impact, and inclusion, offering employees $10,000 in mental health coverage per year and $3,000 in donation matching for charities of their choice.
Employees also benefit from inclusive plans for family building and gender affirmation, accessible through the integrated GreenShield+ platform.
Read more: How to choose health coverage for employees
