While eight in 10 (82 per cent) Canadian generation Z employees believe they merit a raise next year, just 53 per cent anticipate they’ll receive one from their employer, according to a new survey by Employment Hero.
The survey, which polled more than 800 employees, found while 62 per cent of gen-Zers feel they deserve a promotion in the upcoming year, only 32 per cent actually expect one.
Read: Expert panel: How employers can rethink pay-for-performance in a volatile economy
While a fifth (22 per cent) of all employees said their current role is below their education level, this percentage increases among gen Z (32 per cent) and employees with a university degree (24 per cent) or college diploma (23 per cent). Conversely, just 20 per cent of millennials and 16 per cent of generation X employees believe their role is below their education level.
Similarly, a third (31 per cent) of all employees said their current role isn’t in their desired field, a percentage that increases to almost half (46 per cent) among gen Z and decreases among millennials (28 per cent) and gen-Xers (25 per cent).
A quarter (25 per cent) of all employees said they’re anxious about the possibility of being laid off in 2026 and 16 per cent believe they’re at risk of a layoff. As a result, 26 per cent said they plan on delaying major financial decisions in 2026.
As a result of these concerns, many employees are planning to look for a new job in 2026, including more than half (55 per cent) of gen Z, 39 per cent of millennials, 30 per cent of gen X and just six per cent of baby boomers.
Read: Canadian employers project 3.11% increase to average base pay in 2026: report