Canadian workers assign more value to extended health benefits than the level of coverage their employers provide, according to new research from staffing firm Robert Half, as reported by Insurance Business.

The finding reframes a familiar HR challenge. Benefit-plan decisions often reflect legacy structures and insurer negotiations rather than the priorities of the workforce paying into the plan. For HR leaders preparing for the next benefits renewal cycle, the Robert Half data adds weight to calls for plan redesign.

What does the Robert Half research show?

Robert Half, a global staffing and talent solutions firm, surveyed Canadian workers on the relative importance of extended health coverage within their total compensation. The headline conclusion: workers value these benefits more than the level of coverage typically extended to them.

The specific metrics from the survey were not disclosed in the Insurance Business report, but the directional message gives HR teams a clear signal about how employees perceive their benefit packages.

How do extended health benefits work in Canada?

Canada's public health care system covers physician visits and hospital services. It does not typically cover outpatient prescription drugs, dental care, vision correction, or paramedical services such as physiotherapy, chiropractic care, and registered massage therapy.

Employers close that gap through group benefits plans. Most mid-size and large Canadian organizations offer some form of extended health coverage, though plan caps, reimbursement percentages, and eligible services vary widely by industry and provider.

Why does the gap matter for HR strategy?

If workers consistently value extended health coverage more than they receive, HR leaders face two operational risks.

First, retention. Employees who feel under-covered on routine health costs may view their total compensation as inadequate, regardless of base salary competitiveness. Second, recruitment. Candidates comparing offers often weigh benefits packages carefully, especially when moving from one employer to another with comparable pay.

In a labour market where skilled candidates hold negotiating power, benefit design has become a differentiator that HR teams can no longer treat as a commodity.

What should employers reassess before the next renewal?

HR teams should treat the Robert Half finding as a prompt to revisit plan design before the next benefits cycle. Questions worth raising with compensation committees include:

• Are current extended health caps keeping pace with prescription drug inflation?
• Do plan limits reflect how employees use paramedical, vision, and mental health services?
• Has the workforce been asked what benefits they would upgrade first?
• Are dependent-coverage rules aligned with the demographics of the workforce?

What's next?

HR leaders should expect benefit-redesign conversations to surface in upcoming planning cycles. The Robert Half research gives compensation and benefits teams a defensible starting point for asking whether their extended health offerings match the value their workforce assigns to them. Employers that revisit plan design now will be better positioned to compete for talent whose benefit expectations have moved faster than their current coverage allows.