Spooky but friendly: Workers in Canada signal the importance of social moments and events as contributors to workplace happiness.
ADP Canada Co. (“ADP Canada”)’s monthly Happiness@Work Index ("Index") remains steady this Fall. It also reveals that majority of workers in Canada (70%) believe fun and social moments at work contribute to their overall happiness on the job.
The National Work Happiness Score for October 2025 is 6.9/10, reflecting no change from last month and a significant jump from last October (6.6/10).
“Heading into the final stretch of the year, it’s encouraging to see that workers in Canada continue to find joy and connection in their workplace,” says Heather Haslam, vice president of marketing at ADP Canada. “This time of year is not only about gratitude but also about coming together. It presents a meaningful opportunity for employers to recognize their teams, foster a sense of belonging, and ensure employees feel supported as they prepare to close out the year.”
October 2025 Happiness@Work Index Highlights
The October Index reports that almost half (48%) 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 (7.1/10), Gen X (6.9/10) sees a 0.3-point increase in sentiment, moving them into a tie for second place, alongside Millennials. Gen Z (6.8/10), on the other hand, records a slight 0.1-point decline, placing them last after sharing second place in September. Regionally, Atlantic Canada (7.0/10) is now in a three-way tie with Québec and British Columbia, despite its 0.4-point decrease. Alberta (6.7/10) now holds the spot of the least happy region for workers in Canada this month.
National Work Happiness Score: Generational Snapshot
Regional Work Happiness Score Snapshot
Most workers in Canada indicate that social moments at work contribute to overall workplace happiness and over a quarter (28%) of workers in Canada say they experience fun or lighthearted moments daily, while more than a third (37%) report it happens several times a week. Further, when asked about comfortability in participating in fun activities or social events, more than half (57%) of workers in Canada say they are comfortable somewhat to very comfortable with taking part.
“These findings highlight that workers in Canada place strong value on fun and social interactions as a way to foster connection and enhance workplace happiness. When employees feel comfortable engaging in social activities and view these moments as meaningful to their overall well-being at work, it reflects the deeper importance of connection in the workplace,” 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 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 November 26, 2025.
