Canadian employees are reporting declining levels of overall well-being, with employees aged 40 and older reporting the sharpest decline, according to a new survey by Dialogue Health Technologies Inc.
The survey, which polled more than 18,000 employees, found, on average, Canadians ranked their overall well-being at 45.1 out of 100, with the lowest average score reported by workers aged 20 to 29 (39.3).
Among five areas of health and well-being — mood, stress, sleep, physical activity and sense of purpose — the lowest average scores reported by employees were sleep (1.6 out of five) and physical activity (1.9).
Read: Canadian employees’ well-being declines in 2024: report
Notably, the sharpest decline in well-being was among employees aged 40 and older, who reported an average score that was eight per cent lower than in 2024.
It attributed this decline to the increasing strain on the ‘sandwich generation,’ noting in 2024, 1.8 million Canadians were caring for both children and ageing relatives. Among these workers, a quarter (26 per cent) said they’re planning to take a leave of absence, while 15 per cent said they’re reducing their work hours and 10 per cent said they’ve declined work opportunities. More than a third of these employees also report higher rates of burnout.
“Mid-career employees are a vital part of organizations, combining experience, corporate knowledge and productivity while leading teams, as well as balancing caregiving at home,” shared Dr. Marc Robin, medical director at Dialogue, in a press release. “This convergence increases risk: caregiver-employees report increased burnout and are almost twice as likely to have mental-health-related absences, underscoring the need for employer support.”
Read: 93% of employers maintaining or expanding well-being programs in 2025: survey