Trends in the employment quality of health care workers

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Release date: August 10, 2023

Infographic: Trends in the employment quality of health care workers — Description: Trends in the employment quality of health care workers

Illness-related absences among nurses reached a record high in 2020

Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1. The information is grouped by Occupational group (appearing as row headers), Average number of sick days per year among full-time employees, 2019 to 2022 (appearing as column headers).
Occupational group Average number of sick days per year among full-time employees, 2019 to 2022

2019 2020 2021 2022

All health care occupations 14.3 17.6 14.4 18

Nurses 14.9 19.5 15.6 18.5

Personal support workers and care aides 18.2 21.6 19.1 20.8

Other health care workers 10.8 13.3 10.1 15.7

Working long hours^{Note 1} was more common among health care employees in the public sector

Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2. The information is grouped by Sector (appearing as row headers), Proportion of health care employees who worked long hours, by occupational group, 2022, calculated using All health care occupations, Nurses, Personal support workers and care aides and Other health care workers units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Sector Proportion of health care employees who worked long hours, by occupational group, 2022

All health care occupations Nurses Personal support workers and care aides Other health care workers

Public sector 9.2% 9.9% 8.3% 8.7%

Private sector 6.1% 7.7% 7.0% 5.0%

**Retirement and heavy workload** – Top reasons why health care workers intended to leave their job

Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3. The information is grouped by Primary reason for intending to leave job (appearing as row headers), Proportion of health care workers who intended to leave their job within one year, August 2022 (appearing as column headers).
Primary reason for intending to leave job Proportion of health care workers who intended to leave their job within one year, August 2022^{Note 2}

Retiring 24.6%

Workload too heavy 20.7%

Changing careers 12.9%

Going back to school 12.8%

All other reasons 29.1%

Little change in the proportion of health care workers who voluntarily left their job

Table 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 4. The information is grouped by Occupational group (appearing as row headers), Proportion of workers who voluntarily left their job, annual average, 2019 to 2022 (appearing as column headers).
Occupational group Proportion of workers who voluntarily left their job, annual average, 2019 to 2022

2019 2020 2021 2022

All health care occupations 1.4% 1.4% 1.5% 1.4%

Nurses 1.1% 1.2% 1.0% 1.1%

Personal support workers and care aides 2.3% 2.1% 2.2% 2.2%

Other health care workers 1.1% 1.2% 1.3% 1.2%

Workers not in health care 2.0% 1.7% 1.7% 1.9%

Notes

Footnote 1.

Working long hours is defined as working 49 hours or more per week. The denominator is restricted to employees who were at work for the entire reference period.

Return to note 1 referrer

Footnote 2.

Percentages do not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Return to note 2 referrer

**Source:** Blackwell, A. J., 2023, “Quality of employment and labour market dynamics of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” *Insights on Canadian Society*, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 75-006-X.

Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1. The information is grouped by Occupational group (appearing as row headers), Average number of sick days per year among full-time employees, 2019 to 2022 (appearing as column headers).
Occupational group	Average number of sick days per year among full-time employees, 2019 to 2022
2019	2020	2021	2022
All health care occupations	14.3	17.6	14.4	18
Nurses	14.9	19.5	15.6	18.5
Personal support workers and care aides	18.2	21.6	19.1	20.8
Other health care workers	10.8	13.3	10.1	15.7

Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2. The information is grouped by Sector (appearing as row headers), Proportion of health care employees who worked long hours, by occupational group, 2022, calculated using All health care occupations, Nurses, Personal support workers and care aides and Other health care workers units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Sector	Proportion of health care employees who worked long hours, by occupational group, 2022
All health care occupations	Nurses	Personal support workers and care aides	Other health care workers
Public sector	9.2%	9.9%	8.3%	8.7%
Private sector	6.1%	7.7%	7.0%	5.0%

Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3. The information is grouped by Primary reason for intending to leave job (appearing as row headers), Proportion of health care workers who intended to leave their job within one year, August 2022 (appearing as column headers).
Primary reason for intending to leave job	Proportion of health care workers who intended to leave their job within one year, August 2022^{Note 2}
Retiring	24.6%
Workload too heavy	20.7%
Changing careers	12.9%
Going back to school	12.8%
All other reasons	29.1%

Table 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 4. The information is grouped by Occupational group (appearing as row headers), Proportion of workers who voluntarily left their job, annual average, 2019 to 2022 (appearing as column headers).
Occupational group	Proportion of workers who voluntarily left their job, annual average, 2019 to 2022
2019	2020	2021	2022
All health care occupations	1.4%	1.4%	1.5%	1.4%
Nurses	1.1%	1.2%	1.0%	1.1%
Personal support workers and care aides	2.3%	2.1%	2.2%	2.2%
Other health care workers	1.1%	1.2%	1.3%	1.2%
Workers not in health care	2.0%	1.7%	1.7%	1.9%

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Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

Date modified:: 2023-08-10

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Trends in the employment quality of health care workers

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