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Workers in Canada are working close to two full business days in overtime to prepare and catch up from a one-week vacation.

TORONTO, December 30, 2024 – The December edition of the ADP Canada monthly Happiness@Work Index ("Index") shows a slight decrease in worker satisfaction this month. The report also finds that on average, workers in Canada who took vacation this year claim to have paid 13.6 extra hours in "time-off tax" – the additional time worked before and after a one-week vacation – to prepare and catch up on top of regular work hours.

The National Work Happiness Score for December 2024 is 6.6/10, a 0.1-point decrease from November, though unchanged from December 2023.

Reflecting on the past year, just under a third (31%) of workers in Canada report having taken all of their allotted vacation time for 2024¹, similar to the previous year, yet still well below pre-pandemic figures (48%).

"While the holiday season can embrace feelings of relaxation, comfort and celebration, for many workers in Canada that are able to take time off for the holidays, it may also pose additional stressors in preparation for and recovering from this week,” says Heather Haslam, vice president of marketing at ADP Canada. “By offering work-life balance options, flexible deadlines, and  structured hand off processes, employees can feel more supported as they prepare and return from vacation – encouraging paid time off rather than fraying from it.”

December 2024 Happiness@Work Index Highlights

• National Work Happiness Score: 6.6/10 (-0.1)*
• Indicator Breakdown
  • Primary Indicator: 6.9/10 (NC) *
  • Secondary Indicators:
    • Work-Life Balance & Flexibility: 6.8/10 (NC) *
    • Recognition & Support: 6.5/10 (-0.1) *
    • Compensation & Benefits: 6.2/10 (NC) *
    • Options for Career Advancement: 5.9/10 (-0.1) *

Almost half (45%) of workers in Canada surveyed feel satisfied with their current roles and responsibilities, with half of the secondary indicators showing a slight decrease this month, reflecting a negative trend in overall employee well-being reminiscent of past months' downward trends.

Boomers (7.2/10) continue to lead as the happiest generation for almost two years, while Gen-Z (6.7/10) reports a significant decrease in sentiment, now tied for second place with Millennials. Regionally, Atlantic Canada and Québec (6.8/10) are tied as the happiest regions, while Alberta and British Columbia (6.4/10) tie for last place. Notably, British Columbia records its lowest Score to date since the inaugural survey in 2022.

National Work Happiness Score: Generational Snapshot

• Boomers (59+): 7.2/10 (NC) *
• Gen-Z (18-26): 6.7/10 (-0.3) *
• Millennials (27-42): 6.7/10 (NC) *
• Gen-X (43-58): 6.4/10 (-0.1) *

Regional Work Happiness Score Snapshot

• Québec: 6.8/10 (-0.1) *
• Atlantic Canada: 6.8/10 (-0.2) *
• Sask/Manitoba: 6.7/10 (+0.2) * 
• Ontario: 6.6/10 (NC) *
• British Columbia: 6.4/10 (-0.3) *
• Alberta: 6.4/10 (NC) *

“A supportive workplace culture requires a universal approach; offering resources both within and outside the workplace. While every employee situation is unique, ensuring your workplace has clear understanding of the health and financial resources available can help employees navigate additional stressors commonly felt during the holiday season,” 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 January 29, 2025.