Two-thirds of (66 per cent) of Canadian employees who have employer-provided health benefits say their overall well-being is good or excellent, compared to fewer than half (49 per cent) of workers without these benefits, according to a new survey by RBC Insurance.

The survey, which polled more than 1,000 employees, found those with employer-provided benefits experienced higher overall mental health (65 per cent) than those without benefits (51 per cent) and the majority (81 per cent) of Canadians with employer-provided benefits said their employer enables them to have work-life balance.

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In addition, more than half (54 per cent) of workers with employer-provided benefits reported their overall financial health as good or excellent, compared to only a third (33 per cent) of workers without benefits. And while the majority (83 per cent) of households that earn between $60,000 and $100,000 reported access to benefits, just 44 per cent of households that earn less than $40,000 had access to benefits.

Employees said access to doctors and specialists (73 per cent) was the No. 1 employer-provided benefit, followed by online pharmacies (72 per cent), online prescription glasses (65 per cent), online mental-health and wellness programs (61 per cent) and services for wellness and the management of chronic diseases (57 per cent).

“There is a sense of stability that comes with knowing that your needs and the needs of your family will be taken care of in case of the unexpected and that definitely contributes to feelings of overall well-being,” said Andrejka Massicotte, head of group benefits at RBC Insurance, in a press release. “Considering all of the possible situations that can happen in life, having comfort that you will be able to focus on recovery rather than the cost of care if you get sick — or that you will be able to access mental-health supports and services and well-being programs if you need them — can have a very positive impact on your financial and mental health.”

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