Newsroom

Increased living costs force some workers in Canada to scale back on their vacation plans this summer.

TORONTO, June 26, 2024 – The ADP Canada monthly Happiness@Work Index ("Index") reveals that workers in Canada are feeling happier in June. Close to two thirds (63%) are planning to take vacation this summer, however, over a third (34%) report having to scale back their plans to more cost-sensitive options, with younger generations even considering postponing their summer vacation amidst the rising costs of living.

The National Work Happiness Score for June 2024 is 6.7/10, representing a 0.1-point increase from May.  

"While summer may look different from one worker to another across various industries in Canada, it tends to bear shared growth in happiness reflecting on similar scores recorded last summer,” says Heather Haslam, vice president of marketing at ADP Canada. “With most workers planning to take vacation this summer, it’s important for employers to ensure those who are taking time off can completely step away while those working aren’t burdened with filling the gap. Beyond ensuring teams are properly resourced during vacation times, a few strategies employers can consider this summer that can encourage employee engagement, collaboration and support could include implementing ‘summer hours’ offering more flexible schedules, setting and planning realistic goals directly with employees, or organizing team-building social events."

June 2024 Happiness@Work Index Highlights

• National Work Happiness Score:                                               6.7/10 (+0.1) *
• Indicator Breakdown
  • Primary Indicator:                                                           7.0/10 (+0.2) *
  • Secondary Indicators:
    • Work-Life Balance & Flexibility:                 6.9/10 (+0.1) *
    • Recognition & Support:                                 6.6/10 (+0.1) *
    • Compensation & Benefits:                            6.2/10 (+0.1) *
    • Options for Career Advancement:            6.0/10 (NC) *

Almost half (46%) of workers in Canada surveyed feel satisfied with their current roles and responsibilities, with almost all secondary indicators reporting an increase this month.

Boomers (7.1/10) hold steady as the happiest generation of workers in Canada, however Gen Z’s (7.0/10) are following closely behind. Regionally, Québec (7.1/10) remains at the top as the happiest region, while Alberta (6.7/10) notes the biggest improvement in sentiment from the previous month.

National Work Happiness Score: Generational Snapshot

• Boomers (59+):                 7.1/10 (NC) *
• Gen-Z (18-26):                   7.0/10 (+0.2) *
• Millennials (27-42):        6.7/10 (+0.2) *
• Gen-X (43-58):                   6.6/10 (+0.1) *

Regional Work Happiness Score Snapshot

• Québec:                               7.1/10 (+0.2) *
• Atlantic Canada:               7.0/10 (+0.1) *
• British Columbia:             6.7/10 (NC) *
• Alberta:                               6.7/10 (+0.4) *
• Ontario:                               6.6/10 (+0.1) *
• Sask/Manitoba:                6.3/10 (-0.1) *

As summer begins, this month’s Index also reveals generational differences amongst workers in Canada when it comes to planning for their time off in the summer. As such, Gen Z (15%) and Millennials (15%) were more likely to say they would postpone their summer vacation until later this year, whereas more Gen X (41%) and Boomers (47%) report that the increased cost of living will not impact their plans this summer.

"With many ways to engage with employees over the summer, these findings serve as a valuable reminder to regularly reassess existing structures, from support and recognition strategies to compensation and benefits practices," concludes Haslam.

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 31, 2024. 

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 Instagram adp_canada.

For further information: 
Hayley Suchanek
Kaiser & Partners   
289-681-2477
Hayley.suchanek@kaiserpartners.com