Benefits provide a sense of security

Mercer and Marsh, both businesses of Marsh McLennan, have teamed up to release the results of the company’s 2025 Health on Demand report – a compilation of findings from a survey of 18,000 employees in 17 markets around the world.

In Canada, the report surveyed 1,020 respondents, with 51 per cent saying they feel stressed in everyday life and 47 per cent saying they feel stressed most days at work.

“In today’s rapidly evolving world, prioritizing employee well-being is not just a choice – it is a strategic imperative,” say authors of the report, Health on Demand: Smarter Benefits, Stronger Workforce.

The percentage of employees feeling physically and mentally well declined globally from 82 per cent in 2023 to 74 per cent in this year’s survey. Nearly half of those surveyed, 45 per cent, said they are actively looking for a new job at a different company; similarly, 45 per cent report being extremely or very concerned about job security with 39 per cent reporting that they believe they are more replaceable and less valued than four years ago.

Only 59 per cent say the benefits they receive meet their current needs. 

Personalize benefits 

Notably, they say employers would do well to create more flexible benefits packages: “78 per cent of employees who can personalize their benefits packages feel their employer cares about their health and well-being, compared to just 29 per cent of those who cannot customize their benefits.”

The report also looks at the number of employees who report having delayed seeking healthcare over the past two years, primarily due to financial reasons (reported by 28 per cent of respondents) and long wait times (reported by 27 per cent of respondents).

“Listen to different employee segments to understand their reasons for delaying care and identify opportunities to eliminate barriers within the organization’s control. Assess how wait times impact the workforce and the business and identify potential solutions, including the role of private alternatives when public systems face challenges,” they write.