Innovative Benefits Survey 2023
View key findings from 373 employers.
Purpose of Innovative Benefits Survey:
Understanding the prevalence and adoption of emerging and innovative benefits by employers in Canada to meet the needs and interests of employees
In the past decade, the number and frequency of emerging and innovative benefits has increased dramatically, driven by:
- Innovations in technology in the health space
- The need to identify ways to fill the gap that remains in access to quality care
- The interests and needs of an evolving workforce in a tight labour market
Key highlights
- 1 Bright spots
- 2 Learning curves
Progress has been made by employers
Nearly 60% offering ergonomic assessments and 55% provide telemedicine in supporting physical wellness
Employers making some headway with financial wellness budgeting and other financial wellness education and support (51%), discount program (59%) and financial coaching (36%)
28% provide stand alone integrated health & wellbeing platforms including incentives and challenges and 45% providing fitness subsidies
Mental health a clear employer priority specifically:
- 64% offer anti stigma and education on self care;
- 48% provide online assessments/resiliency training and
- 57% offer virtual therapy network access
- 49% provide mental health training for managers
Employers still have a ways to go and need to mind the gaps
- Gen Zers are looking for preventative health and screening tools yet only 33 % of employers provide health assessments , and genetic testing (e.g. nutrigenomics) as a screening tool has very low adoption (<5%).
- With half of Canadian employees being caregivers, offering more support should be a priority, but less than 10% provide child or eldercare programs or applications.
- More inclusive benefits for meaningful impact is an emerging area where employers are investing 32% offer fertility benefits, and 18% provide gender affirmation benefits, but adoption and surrogacy allocations are offered by less than 10%. Few offer non traditional healers. This is also an immature market and is still growing.
- Employees receiving such benefits are primarily still non union hourly, salaried and executives, but employers also need to consider union hourly, contractors and other employee groups.
Opportunities
Get ahead of the competition by identifying and understanding key focus areas of improvement:
- Designing benefits for all: introduce Gen Z into your mindset and keep caregivers top of mind
- Better supporting mental health
- Offering financial wellness solutions
- Refining programs to be more diverse, equitable and inclusive
- Driving resilience and mitigating risk
- Accelerating digital health delivery