'Burnout, debt and unpaid labour are becoming part of everyday life'
There are too many factors hurting Canadians’ mental health these days, according to a recent report.
Overall, 76.3% say their mental health has been negatively affected by job or financial stress in the past year, finds Harris & Partners, a licensed insolvency trustee firm.
Nearly three in five (58%) report feeling burned out or emotionally drained in the past year.
Over half (52.6%) of Canadians feel their workload has increased over the past year, yet many are not being fairly compensated. Specifically, 21.4% have taken on extra duties without additional pay, and 14.7% have admitted to working unpaid overtime.
“We're seeing the consequences of a ‘do more for less’ culture,” says Joshua Harris, CEO of Harris & Partners. “Whether it’s working extra hours without pay or turning to credit just to afford the basics, people are sacrificing their wellbeing to keep up — and that’s simply not sustainable.”
Despite more and more C-suite businesses investing in generative artificial intelligence (AI), workers in the U.S., U.K., Australia and Canada claim AI may increase the workloads of full-time employees— hampering their productivity and resulting in employee burnout, according to a previous Upwork report.
Impact of work-related stress
On the financial side, 36.9% of Canadians say they’ve skipped meals or essentials to make ends meet, finds Harris & Partners’ survey of 1,731 Canadians in July 2025.
Additionally, 33.1% have used credit to cover basic expenses such as groceries or rent.
The effects of financial and work-related stress are seeping into other areas of life, according to the report:
- 34.4% have delayed taking holidays or personal time off
- 20.3% have struggled to pay bills on time
- 14.1% have postponed seeking medical or mental health support
- 13.7% say they’ve delayed seeing friends or family
- 54.5% say financial pressure has made them consider changing jobs or careers
- 11.4% have already done so because of it
“These findings paint a concerning picture of how stretched Canadians are right now,” says Harris. “Burnout, debt, and unpaid labour are becoming part of everyday life. It’s unsustainable — and it’s taking a significant toll on people’s mental health.”
Need for financial education, wellness
Despite the growing strain, nearly a third of Canadians (29.2%) say they wouldn’t know where to turn if their financial situation became unmanageable, while only 39.3% feel confident about where to get help.
“Too many people are suffering in silence,” Harris says. “We need more accessible education, stronger financial safety nets, and wider awareness of the professional support that is available.”
Canadians’ concerns about their personal finances have surged amid mounting economic uncertainty and market volatility, according to a previous report from BMO Financial Group.
For employers, it can be easy to limit wellness programs to just one or two pillars of well-being. However, to maximize the effectiveness of your wellness programs and achieve the greatest results, it’s important to build a diverse wellness program, says Sandra Ebbers, VP for global concept inhouse & large accounts at Randstad.
“This means creating wellness initiatives that touch on all major aspects of wellness, including physical, mental, social, occupational, and financial well-being. Offering programs such as de-stressing activities, financial education, mental health support, and flexible scheduling can help employers address various aspects of wellness,” she says.
She suggests that employers start by "assessing the current needs of your workforce” and “don’t solely focus on physical and mental health well-being”.
“Instead, dig deeper to find out exactly what supportive services your workers need to improve their overall well-being. Conduct surveys and interviews to identify the specific wellness challenges facing your employees.
“This information can help you build a diverse wellness program that meets the unique needs of your workers and can help them on the path to overall well-being.”
