ADP Canada Happiness@Work Index: Canadian Workers’ Satisfaction Falls in June

Canadian workers say compensation, benefits and options for career advancement are less satisfying in June compared to last month, resulting in a decrease of the National Work Happiness Score.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The ADP Canada monthly Happiness@Work Index (“Index”) for June 2023 reveals a decrease across all primary and secondary indicators. The only workers reporting an increase in their Work Happiness Scores for June are those who identify as Boomers and those located in Québec.

The National Work Happiness Score for June 2023 is 6.6/10, representing a decrease of 0.1 points from May 2023.

“The findings from the June Index highlight a shift in the overall happiness of Canadian workers across regions and demographics, which is particularly interesting when considering the widespread increases we saw last month,” says Heather Haslam, Vice President of Marketing, ADP Canada. “The downward trajectory this month may be a reflection of the transition to summer and potentially indicate that Canadian workers are ready to take some time off to recharge. It is also important to consider the challenging external environment Canadians are facing today – from the impact of inflation and rising interest rates to wildfires raging across the country, underscoring the close connection between our work life and personal life.”

June 2023 Happiness@Work Index Highlights

• National Work Happiness Score: 6.6/10 (-0.1) *
• Indicator Breakdown
  • Primary Indicator: 6.8/10 (-0.1) *
  • Secondary Indicators:
    • Work-Life Balance and Flexibility: 6.8/10 (-0.1) *
    • Compensation and Benefits: 6.1/10 (-0.2) *
    • Recognition and Support: 6.6/10 (-0.1) *
    • Options for Career Advancement: 5.9/10 (-0.2) *

The June Index reveals that the primary indicator of worker happiness is at 6.8, a decrease from May (6.9/10) and means that 43 per cent of workers in Canada say they feel satisfied with their current role and responsibilities. The top secondary indicators continue to be work-life balance and recognition.

The June Index also reveals negative changes for most Canadian workers across generations and regions around their feelings of happiness in the workplace:

National Work Happiness Score: Generational Snapshot

• Boomers (56-75): 7.3/10 (+0.1) *
• Millennials (25-40): 6.6/10 (-0.2) *
• Gen-Z (18-24): 6.5/10 (-0.4) *
• Gen-X (41-55): 6.4/10 (-0.1) *

Regional Work Happiness Score Snapshot

• Québec: 7.1/10 (+0.1) *
• British Columbia: 6.8/10 (-0.1) *
• Atlantic Canada: 6.5/10 (-0.5) *
• Ontario: 6.4/10 (-0.2) *
• Sask/Manitoba: 6.4/10 (-0.1) *
• Alberta: 6.4/10 (-0.1) *

“It’s important to recognize that challenges faced by workers outside of the workplace can impact how they feel about work – for employers, it is essential to take action to foster wellbeing in the workplace, particularly during tough times like these,” continues Haslam. “These results are a good reminder to check in with staff and revisit current support systems to ensure you’re building a positive environment to support employees both professionally, and personally.”

About the Happiness@Work Index Methodology
The Happiness@Work Index is measured monthly through a survey fielded by Maru Public Opinion on behalf of ADP Canada and is undertaken by the sample and data collection experts at Maru/Blue. The survey is run in the first week of each reported month for consistency purposes and asks over 1,200 randomly selected employed Canadian adults (including both employees and self-employed individuals) who are Maru Voice Canada online panelists to rate workplace factors on a scale from 1 to 10. Discrepancies in or between totals when compared to the data tables are due to rounding.

The results are weighted by education, age, gender and region (and in Québec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Canada. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/-2.8%, 19 times out of 20.

The Index will continue to be published on the last Wednesday of the month, with the next scheduled findings due for publication on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

About ADP Canada
Designing better ways to work through cutting-edge products, premium services and exceptional experiences that enable people to reach their full potential. HR, Talent, Time Management, Benefits and Payroll. Informed by data and designed for people.

For more information about ADP Canada visit www.adp.ca or follow us on Twitter @ADP_CDA

*Variation against May 2023 scores