Canadian workers in management and professional roles are more likely to face tight deadlines and perform unpaid labour in their personal time, according to a new survey from Statistics Canada.
The survey on working conditions, conducted between 2024 and 2025, found that 17 per cent of respondents reported doing unpaid, unscheduled work during their free time several times a month. Those most affected were employees in management and professional occupations, roles that typically require a bachelor’s degree or higher.
More than half of managers surveyed said they frequently worked under tight deadlines—nearly 20 percentage points higher than workers whose jobs require a high school diploma or less, the report found.
The survey also highlighted differences in workplace support. While most workers said their colleagues and managers were generally supportive, employees in health care and social assistance reported the lowest levels of managerial support. Workers in transportation and warehousing were least likely to receive frequent help from either managers or co-workers. Racialized employees were also less likely to report receiving support from colleagues compared with non-racialized workers.
Physical risks remain common across many sectors. Repetitive movements were the most frequently reported hazard, particularly in trades, manufacturing, transportation, natural resources and agriculture. Health-care workers were more likely than others to report exposure to biological and chemical risks.
Despite the pressures, job satisfaction remains relatively high. More than four in five Canadians surveyed said they felt their work was useful most of the time, with the strongest sense of purpose reported among workers in agriculture, construction, and health care.