The rise of AI: Artificial intelligence (“AI”) in the workplace progresses faster than employers can offer dedicated training.
ADP Canada Co. (“ADP Canada”)’s monthly Happiness@Work Index ("Index") remains stable for August. The Index reveals AI is becoming more common in the workplace, but training opportunities remain limited.
The National Work Happiness Score for August 2025 is 6.8/10, unchanged since May 2025.
“As summer comes to a close, it’s encouraging to discover that workers in Canada enjoyed a positive season,” says Heather Haslam, vice president of marketing at ADP Canada. “Flexible work options and a healthy work-life balance continue to help foster strong workplaces where employees feel valued and supported. It’s promising to find out that many workers are feeling increasingly optimistic about their opportunities for career growth.”
August 2025 Happiness@Work Index Highlights
The August Index reports that almost half (46%) of workers in Canada are satisfied with their current role and responsibilities, and Work-Life Balance & Flexibility remains the top contributor to overall satisfaction.
While Boomers remain the happiest generation (7.3/10), Gen Z (6.7/10) records a sharp decline in sentiment, placing them in last place after ranking second in July. Regionally, Québec (6.9/10) and Atlantic Canada (6.9/10) tie as the happiest regions, despite both areas noting a decrease in sentiment. Sask./Manitoba (6.5/10) reports a steep sentiment drop, becoming the unhappiest region in Canada this month.
National Work Happiness Score: Generational Snapshot
Regional Work Happiness Score Snapshot
The Index reports that almost half (46%) of workers in Canada use AI-powered tools at work, with a third (34%) using them daily or weekly. However, opportunities for training do not always match their usage: A third of workers (32%) say their employer provides AI training opportunities, a quarter (24%) indicate those opportunities are very limited, and 29 per cent report having no AI-related training or support whatsoever from their employer.
“AI is transforming how we learn and grow. By providing AI training, we can help unlock new skills, innovate faster and create a smarter, more supportive environment. Most importantly, skills development and training help us stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world of work. Appropriate AI training will likely become an important part of employees’ onboarding and professional development, whether it is providing workers with the necessary tools to expand their skills or to help prevent and mitigate risks,” concludes Haslam.
About the Happiness@Work Index Methodology
The Happiness@Work Index is measured monthly through a survey fielded by Harris Poll Canada on behalf of ADP Canada Co. 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 Harris Poll online panellists 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 September 24, 2025.
