Less than half of workers in Canada have frequent dedicated conversations about their career growth, Index finds.
ADP Canada Co. (“ADP Canada”)’s monthly Happiness@Work Index ("Index") for April increases as spring blooms.
The National Work Happiness Score for April 2026 is 6.9/10, reflecting a 0.1-point increase from last month and a 0.2-point increase from April last year (6.7/10).
The latest Index shows that dedicated conversations about career growth are not the habit in all workplaces. While four-in-ten (43%) of workers in Canada say they do so at least once a quarter or more frequently, a fifth (21%) admit never having these conversations.
When it comes to employer support for career development, a quarter (24%) of workers say they have access to internal skills development workshops. Around a fifth (22%) report that their employer offers external training programs or professional development courses, while 17% cite one-on-one coaching sessions with a manager or senior colleague. When asked which were the most effective, in practice, for their careers, external training programs came in first (17%).
“The latest Index suggests that dedicated conversations about career growth are still not happening regularly for many workers in Canada,” says Heather Haslam, vice president of marketing at ADP Canada. “At the same time, the findings point to a clear opportunity for employers to play a more active role in supporting career development. From internal skills workshops and external training programs to one-on-one coaching, organizations have a range of tools at their disposal. Prioritizing these initiatives can help employees build confidence, develop new skills and feel more supported in their long-term career progression.”
April 2026 Happiness@Work Index Highlights
The April Index reports that half (50%) of workers in Canada are satisfied with their current role and responsibilities, and Work-Life Balance & Flexibility remains the top contributor to overall satisfaction.
Boomers (7.5/10) remain the happiest generation while Gen X (6.7/10) remains at the bottom. Regionally, Atlantic Canada (7.2/10) is the happiest region this month, while Alberta (6.7/10) remains the least happy region this month.
National Work Happiness Score: Generational Snapshot
Regional Work Happiness Score Snapshot
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 . This month 1771 randomly selected employed Canadian adults (including both employees and self-employed individuals) who are online panelists participated 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 +/-2.0%, 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 May 27, 2026.
