Study said that one in four employed Canadians struggle to afford basic needs
Three quarters of employed Canadians say they worry about food affordability while at work, according to new research from the National Payroll Institute.
The distraction is costing Canadian businesses an estimated $65.2bn annually in lost productivity.
The Cost of Hunger for Working Canadians Survey, released May 28, found that one in four employed Canadians struggle to afford their basic needs, while one in ten do so at a serious level.
Nearly 30 percent report decreased productivity due to hunger, and three in ten admit to spending more than half an hour each workday thinking about food affordability.
National Payroll Institute president and CEO Peter Tzanetakis said Canadians are skipping meals, taking on debt, and worrying through their workdays just to feed themselves and their families.
Hunger, he said, is "taking a quiet but significant toll on people's dignity, focus and overall well being."
Over one in three workers (34 percent) report relying on debt to afford food, while 53 percent say food affordability has worsened over the past year.
One in three also say difficulty affording nutritious food has negatively affected their health, and one in five report losing weight due to food insecurity.
Workers with unstable hours or inconsistent income are most at risk.
Those with fluctuating pay are 29 percent more likely to experience food insecurity than those with stable earnings.
Part time workers (34 percent) face significantly higher rates than full time employees (22 percent), and those seeking more hours are more than twice as likely to go hungry.
"Predictable, accurate pay and professional payroll practices can help reduce uncertainty for workers navigating ongoing cost pressures," Tzanetakis said.
