The 2026 Un-Salary Guide: A Smarter Way to Compete for Talent.
Beyond pay. Beyond perks. Built on real workforce data.
The Un-Salary Guide helps Canadian employers understand what truly drives attraction, retention, and performance in today’s labour market, as AI, automation, and shifting expectations reshape work.
Traditional salary guides explain what people are paid.
Agilus’ Un-Salary Guide explains why people stay, leave, or disengage and what employers can do about it.
Our 2026 Un-Salary Guide is built on proprietary Canadian survey data conducted by Agilus last fall; this guide reveals how workers and employers differ in their views of AI readiness, skills, career growth, flexibility, and value at work. It introduces a practical framework to help organizations compete more effectively for talent without relying solely on compensation increases.
Whether you are hiring in engineering, technology, professional services, life sciences, light industrial, or public sector roles, the Un-Salary Guide and the AI Readiness And Work Survey provides actionable insight grounded in Canadian workforce realities.
What You’ll Learn:
- How Canadian workers and employers define AI use differently
- The five levels of AI readiness shaping hiring and performance
- Why compensation alone is no longer the sole driver of retention and engagement
- Key signals that shape an employer’s talent value proposition
- Workforce trends influencing how hiring, leadership, and strategy align
Complete the form below to receive the Un-Salary Guide and explore data-driven insights designed to help Canadian employers make better hiring and workforce decisions. The guide is produced by Agilus, a full service recruitment firm with 50 years of experience connecting businesses with specialized talent across Canada.