The majority (82 per cent) of Canadian employers say cost is their primary consideration when defining and reviewing benefits, compared to 66 per cent of global organizations, according to a new survey by MBWL International and Normandin Beaudry.
The survey, which polled more than 350 employers across 100 countries, found more than half (54 per cent) of all respondents said they prioritized physical and mental well-being initiatives to attract and retain top talent, while two-fifths (38 per cent) said they introduced these initiatives to control benefits costs.
Half (51 per cent) of all respondents cited rising health-care costs as their biggest challenge in supporting an ageing workforce, followed by support for retirement planning (37 per cent) and adaptation/reskilling (25 per cent).
When asked how they plan to enhance their employee benefits plans, 61 per cent of all respondents said they’re improving employee communication and engagement, followed by benchmarking (60 per cent), optimizing benefits spend (52 per cent) and focusing on cost control (51 per cent).
Nearly seven in 10 (68 per cent) respondents cited benchmarking as the No. 1 method for collecting data in order to effectively manage their benefits plans, followed by employee surveys (63 per cent), exit interviews (49 per cent), performance management systems (20 per cent) and real-time feedback tools (11 per cent). One in 10 (nine per cent) said they didn’t collect any data to support benefits plan management.
The majority (80 per cent) of Canadian organizations that strategically prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion prior to 2025 said they plan to maintain that commitment this year, compared to 52 per cent of all respondents.
Read: North American employers prioritizing employee productivity, benefits costs in 2025: report