Cash over cocktails: 8 in 10 Canadian workers would trade the office holiday party for a bonus

Forget the festive office celebrations. Employment Hero’s latest survey reveals what Canadian workers really want for Christmas – and it’s not another holiday party.

TORONTO, Oct. 21, 2026 /CNW/ — Forget the open bar. Canadian workers would rather have the cash. A new survey from Employment Hero, the all-in-one employment platform for Canadian businesses, found that 81% of full-time employed Canadians would choose a cash bonus over attending their company holiday party. Just 13% would take the party.

And it turns out the preference for cash is one thing generations can agree on with 84% of workers aged 18 to 34, 80% of those aged 35 to 54 and 76% of those 55 and older opting for the bonus.

For employers preparing for the holiday season, the findings raise a question: are businesses investing in the forms of recognition employees actually value today?

Canadians are also putting a price on their holiday time. When asked what would most convince them to give up a scheduled holiday day off, double pay topped the list at 47%. Another 39% selected some form of time or flexibility instead, including additional paid time off, remote work, choosing their own hours or taking another personally important day off. Meanwhile, 12% aren’t entertaining offers at all – their holiday time is simply not for sale.

“Holiday parties are a great way to bring teams together, but employers shouldn’t confuse a celebration with recognition,” said Chris Pinkerton, Managing Director, Employment Hero Canada. “A party might build connections, but it doesn’t necessarily make someone feel valued for their work throughout the year. For small businesses working with limited budgets, the important thing is to be intentional. Ask your people what matters to them before spending money on something they might not actually want.”

Christmas Day calling? Canadians are screening the boss

The office holiday party isn’t the only thing Canadians have opinions about. When it comes to hearing from the boss on Christmas Day, there’s a pretty clear distinction between a genuine emergency and something that can wait until January.

Nearly seven in ten (69%) say they would be unlikely to respond to their manager about a routine, non-urgent matter on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day or another statutory holiday. But when the matter is genuinely urgent, the picture flips: 69% say they would be likely to respond, suggesting Canadians aren’t unwilling to help out over the holidays – they just want a good reason to put down the turkey.

For Canadian businesses, the findings highlight the importance of planning ahead for holiday operations. Clear expectations around availability, thoughtful scheduling and meaningful recognition can help employers balance those operational needs with employee wellbeing.

“For businesses operating over the holidays, reaching employees when something goes wrong can be essential,” Pinkerton added. “But those expectations shouldn’t be set on Christmas morning. Assigning on-call staff, agreeing on what constitutes an emergency and establishing clear escalation processes in advance helps businesses stay operational while ensuring employees can properly switch off when they’re not needed.”

The festive takeaway? Canadians aren’t necessarily saying goodbye to the office party or refusing to help out over the holidays. But they are making one thing clear: when it comes to recognition, a little more cash, flexibility and respect for their time might be the greatest gifts of all.

Media Contact

Samantha Krupa-Carbone

NATIONAL Public Relations

skrupa-carbone@national.ca

416-848-1634

Megan Felsing

Communications Lead, Employment Hero

[email protected]

587-575-5273

About Employment Hero

Employment Hero is the global authority on employment, offering a world-leading Employment Operating System (eOS) that simplifies and optimizes every stage of the employment process. Its award-winning platform combines HR, payroll, recruitment, and employee engagement tools with the groundbreaking employment superapp, EH Work, which integrates career management and financial wellbeing. Serving over 350,000 businesses and managing more than 2.5 million employees worldwide, Employment Hero reduces administrative burdens by up to 80%, enabling organizations to focus on their goals and create more productive, engaged teams. By revolutionising the employment marketplace, Employment Hero is making employment easier, more valuable and rewarding for everyone.

About the Survey

These are the findings of an online survey conducted by Angus Reid from September 28 to October 5, 2026 among a sample of n=1,006 adults (18+) living in Canada who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

SOURCE Employment Hero