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ADP Canada Happiness@Work Index: Workers' Happiness Dips as the Days Get Shorter

The national average slightly decreases, however those on the very West and East coasts of Canada are on the contrary.

TORONTO, October 31, 2024 – The October edition of the ADP Canada monthly Happiness@Work Index ("Index") reveals a slight setback in workers' happiness this month.

The National Work Happiness Score for October 2024 is 6.6/10, a 0.1-point decrease from September and October 2023.

"As workers settle into the Fall season, and overall activity shows signs of acceleration, the October Index reveals a dip in overall happiness," says Heather Haslam, vice president of marketing at ADP Canada. "By ensuring flexibility in the workplace and enhancing work-life balance resources, employers can help alleviate some of the stressors commonly faced by workers in Canada during this time of year."

October 2024 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 & Flexibility: 6.7/10 (-0.1) *
  - Recognition & Support: 6.5/10 (NC) *
  - Compensation & Benefits: 6.1/10 (-0.1) *
  - Options for Career Advancement: 5.9/10 (NC) *

Forty-two per cent of workers in Canada surveyed currently feel satisfied with their current roles and responsibilities., and nearly all secondary indicators show a decrease this month with the exception of recognition & support and options for career advancement.

With most of their Secondary Indicators trending down, Gen Z workers face a drop in reported happiness levels this month, landing at 6.6/10, on par with Millennials. Boomers (7.1/10) continue to lead as the happiest generation for the 21st consecutive month. While they are still the least happy generation in the workplace this month, Gen X is also the only one holding steady in October. Regionally, Québec and British Columbia (6.8/10) are tied for the happiest regions, while Alberta (6.4/10) records a significant decline in sentiment, dropping to the last place spot this month.

National Work Happiness Score: Generational Snapshot

Boomers (59+): 7.1/10 (-0.1) *
Gen-Z (18-26): 6.6/10 (-0.3) *
Millennials (27-42): 6.6/10 (-0.1) *
Gen-X (43-58): 6.4/10 (NC) *

Regional Work Happiness Score Snapshot

British Columbia: 6.8/10 (+0.1) *
Québec: 6.8/10 (NC) *
Atlantic Canada: 6.7/10 (+0.1) *
Sask/Manitoba: 6.7/10 (-0.3) *
Ontario: 6.5/10 (-0.1) *
Alberta: 6.4/10 (-0.4) *

"As we recognize a year-over-year dip in the National Happiness Score from last October, this time of year is important for employers to audit current processes and ensure their employees are set up for success, as it tends to be a busier time for many Canadians both professionally and personally as the new year and holidays are just around the corner," 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, November 27, 2024.