Offering a competitive salary remains the cornerstone of a strong hiring strategy. But as market conditions shift and employee expectations continue to evolve, many employers in Canada are broadening their approach to compensation—evaluating and enhancing the full scope of their total rewards to attract and keep top talent.While salary refers to fixed pay, total compensation encompasses the full value of what a company offers its employees. This may include extended health benefits, retirement savings plans, flexible work options, upskilling opportunities and lifestyle perks. Getting this mix right can help organizations stand out and strengthen their long-term talent strategy.Hiring managers:Schedule a walk-through to get customized salary data and insights from a Robert Half talent solutions professional.Job seekers:Explore our opportunities and grow your career with us.
31% of companies offer performance-based bonuses. Strategic use of bonuses allows organizations to recognize employees’ significant contributions without overextending base salary ranges. Other types of bonuses include:Performance bonuses—Awarded based on individual or team achievements tied to business goals Sign-on bonuses—Provided to new hires to boost offer appeal and accelerate onboarding Retention bonuses—Designed to encourage employees to stay through key periods or transitionsReferral bonuses—Given to employees who help recruit skilled candidates into hard-to-staff roles
Common offerings
These incentives are widely offered by many employers and represent the baseline expectations candidates have when evaluating job opportunities.Paid time off, including vacation, sick and mental health daysPaid leave of absence or sabbaticalsLife insurance and AD&D insuranceMental health coverage Flexible work schedules (e.g., varied start and end times) Hybrid work options Bereavement leave
Less common offerings
These incentives are offered by fewer companies, giving the employers who provide them a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talent.Extended health insurance RRSP planning or pension Signing bonusesStock optionsWellness programs Childcare assistancePaid paternity leaveOn-site fitness centres
Executive compensation
Compensation packages for C-suite and senior management professionals are designed to align leadership performance with key company objectives. Executive bonus structures are more complex than bonuses for all employees, including equity grants, long-term incentives and cash performance awards that often equal a significant portion of the annual base salary.Executive annual bonuses can start at 40% of base annual compensation, and sometimes even go up to 100% per year.
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Commuter benefits
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Free or subsidized meals
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Professional development training
Similar to 2025, nearly 7 in 10 job seekers say hybrid work is their preferred arrangement. While most companies offer some type of hybrid option, the level of flexibility often depends on the employee’s role and level of seniority. See the latest Canadian remote work statistics and trends.
standard
of employers offer hybrid options to those in leadership roles and on a case-by-case basis.
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of employers offer hybrid options to all regular employees regardless of seniority.
Family benefits expand
As workforce expectations evolve, family-friendly benefits are emerging as a differentiator in total compensation packages. Employers are expanding support for workers with caregiving responsibilities, recognizing the impact these benefits have on recruitment, retention and well-being. Paid paternity leave—offered in addition to standard paid time off—is becoming more valued. However, only 34% of employers currently provide this benefit.Childcare and eldercare assistance are also gaining traction, helping employees better manage responsibilities outside of work.87% of companies offer bereavement leave.
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The salary benchmarks listed in the Salary Guide From Robert Half are the result of a rigorous, multistep process so that our projections accurately reflect the marketplace. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across the country and third-party job posting data from Textkernel that we use to independently validate the salary ranges. Learn more about our salary methodology.Non-salary data referenced in the Salary Guide is based on online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by independent research firms. Respondents include hiring managers and workers from small (10-99 employees), midsize (100-999 employees) and large (1,000-plus employees) private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across Canada.
