Most Canadians Would Pick A Job With Better Benefits Over One With Higher Pay, Poll Says

A clear majority of Canadians prioritize a job with great benefits over one with a higher salary but no benefits plan when it comes to picking where to work, according to a new poll.

Conducted by RBC Insurance, the poll also found that after a rough year, nearly half of the younger working Canadians who responded found that their companies' benefit plans haven't done enough for their health and wellbeing over the past year.

The effects of the pandemic on mental health can be seen in the kind of problems younger workers are having, RBC Insurance says. According to the company, 49% of new group long-term disability claims by employees aged 18 to 35 are related to mental health, a number trending upwards since 2019.

The results of several other surveys and studies have also found that younger Canadians have had a particularly difficult time over the past 18 months.

One June 2021 study revealing the worst job for mental health was Full-Time Student, followed by Accommodation and Food Services and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation. And more research from March 2021 claimed that 19% of young Canadians had been experiencing "moderate to severe anxiety."