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🧑🔎ADP Canada Happiness@Work Index: Workers' Happiness Dwindles as the New Year Looms

Saturday, 20 January 2024 10:30.AM

- December sees an overall decrease in satisfaction for workers across Canada, who report feeling optimistic when it comes to their workload heading into 2024, but less when it comes to their compensation this upcoming year. -

The ADP Canada monthly Happiness@Work Index ("Index") sees all secondary scores decrease in December, driving workers' happiness down. Boomers (6.9/10) continue to hold the top spot as the happiest generation for the 11th consecutive month, while British-Columbia rejoins Québec (6.9/10) for the happiest regions in Canada.

The National Work Happiness Score for December 2023 is 6.6/10, representing a decrease of 0.2 points from November.

"While a new year can pose many uncertainties for workers whether it's concerns around budget cuts or career advancements, a good employer can help dispel these fears," says Heather Haslam, Vice President of Marketing, ADP Canada. "In communicating transparently, as well as providing support in and outside of the workplace, it offers employees a sense of security and reassurance which can help develop a more positive outlook as we transition into the new year."

December 2023 Happiness@Work Index Highlights

• National Work Happiness Score: 6.6/10 (-0.2) *
• Indicator Breakdown
• Primary Indicator: 6.8/10 (-0.2) *
• Secondary Indicators:
• Work-Life Balance & Flexibility: 6.7/10 (-0.3) *
• Recognition & Support: 6.4/10 (-0.3) *
• Compensation & Benefits: 6.1/10 (-0.2) *
• Options for Career Advancement: 5.9/10 (-0.2) *

The December Index shows that the primary indicator of worker happiness also decreased to 6.8/10, -0.2 points from November, with less than half (44%) of workers in Canada feeling satisfied with their current role and responsibilities. The top secondary indicator continues to be work-life balance & flexibility (6.7/10), however it's the lowest recorded score since January 2023. Additionally, recognition & support also record the lowest score to date since the induction of the Index.

The Index also reveals that while Boomers (6.9/10) continue to hold the top spot as the happiest generation for the 11th consecutive month, their happiness score is decreasing of 0.3 points from November. Millennials (6.5/10) recorded their lowest score to date, and Gen Zs hold steady month-over-month. Regional results reveal that British-Columbia rejoins Québec (6.9/10) for the top spot as the happiest region, while Ontario (6.4/10) records one of the lowest Regional Work Happiness Scores in December.

National Work Happiness Score: Generational Snapshot

• Boomers (59+): 6.9/10 (-0.3) *
• Gen-Z (18-26): 6.8/10 (-0.1) *
• Millennials (27-42): 6.5/10 (-0.3) *
• Gen-X (43-58): 6.4/10 (-0.2) *

Regional Work Happiness Score Snapshot

Québec: 6.9/10 (-0.1) *
British Columbia: 6.9/10 (NC) *
Atlantic Canada: 6.7/10 (-0.2) *
Alberta: 6.6/10 (NC) *
Sask/Manitoba: 6.5/10 (-0.3) *
Ontario: 6.4/10 (-0.3) *

Additionally, this month, the Index reveals that workers in Canada are feeling confident with work-related activities in the upcoming year, as three quarters (75%) of workers are optimistic about taking time off and 72 per cent sharing a similar sentiment about having a manageable workload heading into 2024. However, workers were less optimistic (56%) about getting an increase in salary and compensation this upcoming year.

"While it is encouraging to see that workers in Canada are feeling optimistic about their workload in 2024, driving a healthy employee experience is multi-layered, and as the cost of living continues to rise, employees' attention to compensation and benefits will do so in tandem. A few ways employers can support in alleviating financial stress and foster a more resilient workforce can be through conducting an audit of the current compensation and benefits, developing financial wellness programs, flexible work arrangements, as well as various professional development opportunities," concludes Haslam.


***
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.

SOURCE: ADP Canada Co.

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