How happy are Canadian workers?

Survey highlights key factors for greater satisfaction among workers

BY Jonalyn Cueto 05 Feb. 2024

The latest findings from the ADP Canada monthly Happiness@Work Index reveal an uptrend in workers’ sentiments, buoyed by growing recognition and support.

The Index shows workers in Canada are happy with their current employer, with only 9% reporting they are actively pursuing a different company within their industry this year. The National Work Happiness Score for January 2024 reflects this optimism, standing at a commendable 6.7 out of 10, marking an increase of 0.1 points from the preceding month, according to Yahoo! Finance.

“It appears resolutions for self-improvement aren’t limited to personal pursuits, with many workers looking to develop new skills at work this year,” said Heather Haslam, vice president of marketing at ADP Canada. “These findings suggest employers have an opportunity to consider offering or revisiting existing benefits around professional development and continuing education.”

Satisfaction at the workplace

In January, the primary indicator of worker happiness experienced an uptick to 6.9 out of 10, reflecting a 0.1 point increase from December. Notably, 44% of Canadian workers express satisfaction with their current roles and responsibilities. While work-life balance and flexibility (6.8/10) retains its position as the top secondary indicator, recognition and support (6.6/10) witnessed the most significant surge this month, rebounding from its lowest recorded score in December.

The Index further unveils that Boomers (7.1/10) remain to be the happiest generation for the 13th consecutive month. Regionally, Québec (6.8/10) maintains the lead, although Ontario (6.6/10) stands out as the sole region to record an increase in their Regional Work Happiness Score for January.

Over one-third of workers in Canada are actively planning to develop new skills in 2024 (38%) and aim to secure higher salaries within their respective companies (36%). Particularly, Gen-Z workers emerge as frontrunners in career goal setting, with 50% actively planning skill development initiatives and 44% aspiring for salary increments within their organizations. Moreover, a significant proportion of Gen-Z workers express interest in entrepreneurship, with 22% harboring ambitions to launch their own businesses in 2024.

“With skill development at the forefront, a variety of professional development courses and opportunities for employees to gain tangible knowledge may offer or strengthen employee retention and interest amongst the wavering workforce,” said Haslam.

The Happiness@Work Index is conducted monthly through a survey administered by Maru Public Opinion on behalf of ADP Canada. It asks over 1,200 employed Canadian adults, including both employees and self-employed individuals. The survey is conducted in the first week of each reported month. For comparative accuracy, the Index maintains a probability sample size, with an estimated margin of error of +/-2.8%, 19 times out of 20. The Index will continue to be published on the last Wednesday of every month, with the next set of findings scheduled for release on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.