April 15, 2025 from Benefits Canada
Survey Reveals High Levels of Workplace Stress in Canada
Forty percent of Canadian employees report feeling constantly stressed, according to the latest data from Telus Health’s mental-health index. The average mental-health score in January was 63.2 — a slight drop from December’s 63.5 — but the outlook is significantly worse for those under persistent stress.
Employees who reported constant stress had an average mental-health score of just 47.2, compared to 78.6 among those without ongoing stress. That 31-point difference underscores the toll chronic stress is taking on working Canadians.
Mental-Health Risk and Emotional Distress Rising
The survey, which polled approximately 3,000 workers, also found that more than a quarter (28%) of employees feel angrier and more distrustful of others. These individuals had a mental-health score of 45.7 — nearly 29 points lower than their less emotionally reactive peers.
General psychological health (71.5) remained the most favourable sub-score in the index, while anxiety (56.5) was the lowest, followed by isolation (59), depression (61.4), and work productivity (61.8). Optimism and financial risk also scored low, at 64.7 and 67.1 respectively.
Worryingly, 36% of respondents were assessed as having a high mental-health risk, a figure that has increased by two percent since the index launched in April 2020. Among this high-risk group, 30% reported a clinical diagnosis of anxiety or depression.
Cost Is a Barrier to Mental Health Support
Financial concerns are a significant obstacle to care. More than half of respondents (56%) said cost was a factor in delaying or avoiding mental-health treatment. Additionally, 42% of workers felt their organization needs to improve its health benefits plan.
The survey also highlighted that mental health benefits may carry more value than salary increases for some employees. A third (33%) of respondents said they would prefer enhanced well-being support over a 10% raise.
A Call for Better Support in the Workplace
These findings highlight a growing disconnect between employee needs and employer support. Chronic stress, emotional volatility, and limited access to care are not just individual challenges — they have workplace-wide implications.
As mental-health concerns become increasingly prevalent, employers have a critical opportunity to enhance their benefits plans and address care affordability. For many workers, better support may not just boost well-being — it could be the reason they stay.
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