Study ties full plan integration to sharper productivity, trust and total rewards literacy
Just 7 percent of Canadian employees have access to what Alight Solutions calls a Fully Supported Employee package, meaning comprehensive, integrated benefits through an employer or a spouse's employer, supplemental or extended health coverage that tops up public care, personalized financial support, and health, retirement, leave and wellbeing benefits delivered through a single centralized platform.
The 2026 Employee Mindset Study, published by Alight Solutions as the 16th edition of its annual research and the first to examine Canada, recorded 81 percent of that group saying they are fully productive at work, against 68 percent of other employees.
Sixty-five percent said they feel inspired by their company to do their best work every day, against 48 percent. Sixty-seven percent reported a good understanding of their total rewards, against 45 percent, and 61 percent said their employer genuinely cares about their wellbeing, against 42 percent.
Positive employee experience ratings ran 55 percent against 44 percent, and highly rated overall wellbeing 48 percent against 39 percent.
Fifty-nine percent of respondents contribute to their employer's retirement plan, according to the respondent profile, while 32 percent do not and 8 percent answered not applicable.
One in three Canadian employees say there is no way they will be able to retire at the age they want.
Forty-three percent are very concerned the money they have or will save will not last, rising to 51 percent among employees earning less than $70,000 and to 47 percent among female workers, compared with 38 percent of male workers.
Thirty-nine percent say their employer's financial wellbeing programs help them feel prepared for rising living costs and long-term financial security in Canada.
Sixty percent of Canadian employees want advice or direction on how to save for retirement, and 65 percent would share personal information to get better guidance.
Openness to sharing information in exchange for personalized financial guidance reaches 74 percent of Gen Z respondents and 70 percent of Millennials.
Paying monthly bills sits almost level with retirement saving on the list of topics employees want help with, at 59 percent.
Half want help creating or managing a budget for personal expenses. Improving a credit score, establishing an emergency fund and saving for short-term needs each drew 47 percent, followed by saving for children's education at 44 percent, managing debt at 42 percent and reducing or refinancing student loan debt at 37 percent.
Thirty-two percent of Canadian workers rate their financial wellbeing positively, the lowest-scoring dimension in the study.
Social and physical wellbeing were each rated positively by 39 percent, mental and emotional by 36 percent, and professional and career by 34 percent. Overall wellbeing was rated positively by 40 percent.
Personal finances were cited as the number one stress source by 58 percent, and 46 percent say their finances control their life.
Twenty-six percent could cover more than six months of expenses if they lost their job.
Forty-one percent took an extra job or gig work, and 79 percent of that group did so because of rising costs and economic uncertainty.
Alight recorded gaps between employees with low and high financial wellbeing scores: 91 percent versus 50 percent reporting they are stressed out, 63 percent versus 85 percent reporting they are productive, and 42 percent versus 32 percent who would consider leaving or are already looking.
Twenty-eight percent of all respondents feel their employer cares about their financial wellbeing.
Forty percent of Canadian employees have used AI to help with benefits decisions.
Twelve percent used it to help estimate DC, RRSP or retirement plan contributions and 11 percent to build or adjust retirement investment portfolios, while 16 percent used it to understand or optimize overall benefits packages and 13 percent to help choose a medical plan.
Gen Z workers in Canada were twice as likely as older generations to use AI for benefits decisions, at 60 percent versus 34 percent.
Among users, 43 percent found the AI-powered tools or digital assistants extremely helpful, 51 percent somewhat helpful and 6 percent not at all helpful.
