The results of PwC Canada‘s most recent Canadian workforce survey are in—bringing together insights from more than 2,000 Canadian office employees and employers.  Much of the Canadian talent base has fully embraced technology, and there’s a growing feeling people can be productive from anywhere.

Significant gains have been made since the beginning of the pandemic, but it’s not all rosy, and we’re seeing something we’re referring to as a productivity paradox. Both employers and employees report high levels of productivity, some even higher than pre-pandemic. While the vast majority prefer hybrid working, there’s a growing preference for fully remote work. Yet a significant group is struggling with mental health challenges and feeling disconnected.

  • 46% of Canadian employee respondents claim mental health issues have been one of their biggest work challenges since the start of the pandemic
  • 15% of Canadian employee respondents say they would prefer to work entirely remotely (up three percentage points from last year)

Perhaps surprisingly, 41% of employee respondents say their productivity has increased compared to before the pandemic. Workers may be getting the hang of remote work, with fewer employees and employers reporting decreases in productivity now than in 2020. But at the same time, employees are reporting some significant work challenges. Nearly half of respondents rank mental health and staying motivated as top challenges since the start of the pandemic (46% and 45%, respectively). Communication and connectivity with their team in a virtual work environment also ranks highly, at 30%.