Physically active Canadian workers are more productive

Physical and mental health

The report also touches on the connection between physical health and a positive mental wellbeing.

For example, the report found stress reduction motivates 12% of workers to exercise, although 9% of workers surveyed never engage in physical activity. What’s more, less than 10% of workers report engaging in activities that promote social wellbeing.

"Organizations can make a real difference by offering practical solutions like virtual fitness classes, on-site fitness amenities and engaging wellbeing challenges," Dr. Matthew Chow, TELUS Health’s chief medical officer, said in a statement.

"These initiatives create healthier, more engaged workforces while providing options to address the diverse needs and wants of employees."

Not unrelated, in Canada, 22% of employees report anxiety, 14% depression and 13% report struggling with sleep disorders.

Diet is linked to physical health, as one’s physical health is linked to mental stability. TELUS found 49% of workers report following a healthy diet while 10% report following an unhealthy diet; the mental health score of the latter group is more than 21 points lower than than the former group and nearly 16 points lower than the national average.

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Key takeaways

TELUS Health also found women are disproportionately affected in mental health struggles, being 40% more likely than men to report a negative experience with the healthcare system.

Workers perceiving poor employer support for their physical wellbeing lose 22 more work days of productivity annually and score 22 points lower in mental health than those perceiving excellent support. As well, workers uninterested in improving health lose 14 more work days in productivity annually than those who feel motivated.

That disinterest is not always self-inflicted, and oftentimes the support is lacking. Employees without emergency funds are twice as likely to seek stress reduction and report anxiety or depression diagnoses. Mental health conditions are disproportionately reported among younger workers, women and those without savings.

Knowing that support is out there is the first step to any healing or improvement. Anxiety and isolation continue to be the lowest mental health sub-scores for more than two years.

In September of 2023, TELUS Health revealed two in five workers in Canada lack knowledge of what an EAP entails. Of those that are aware, more than 27% cite cost as a major barrier in using EAPs.

Given that, Canadian workers received a score from TELUS Health of 64.4 as of September, indicating strain levels. While grim, it’s actually an increase of 1.3 from August after five months of decline.