Work-life balance, recognition, and support continue to drive workplace satisfaction
ADP Canada’s monthly Happiness@Work Index remained unchanged in October compared to September. The Index, which uses a benchmark of 6.7/10 from November 2022, reflected a steady trend.
“As workers settle back into their fall routines, and this being a busy period across different sectors and industries, happiness levels plateau in October, confirming the effect of the current economic conditions on workers in Canada,” says Shawna Gee, director of marketing at ADP Canada.
“Financial stress factors as well as an increase in the workload can have a negative impact on satisfaction levels at work,” Gee added. “It is important to keep checking in with employees and offer resources to help them through this period that some might find more difficult to handle.”
Worker happiness remains steady
The National Work Happiness Score for October 2023 stayed at 6.7/10, mirroring September's results. When analyzing the breakdown of indicators, the primary indicator for worker happiness maintained its stability, holding steady at 6.9/10. 44% of Canadian workers expressed satisfaction with their current roles and responsibilities.
Secondary indicators, namely work-life balance and recognition and support, continued to be the primary drivers of workplace satisfaction, with recognition and support seeing a slight increase of 0.1 points.
Boomers (aged 59 and above) experienced an increase in their happiness score, reaching 7.3/10, marking a positive change of 0.3 points. On the other hand, Gen Z (aged 18-26), Millennials (aged 27-42), and Gen X (aged 43-58) maintained their scores with no significant changes.
British Columbia saw the most improvement in its Regional Work Happiness Score, rising by 0.3 points to reach 7.2/10. The only workers reporting a dip in their Work Happiness Score for October are those from Atlantic Canada and Ontario. Atlantic Canada saw a decrease of 0.2 points, while Ontario experienced a marginal drop of 0.1 points.
“As British Columbia claims the spotlight with a notable increase in its Regional Work Happiness Score, this month's snapshot suggests a fluctuating pattern,” says Gee. “These variations in scores unveil opportunities for organizations to foster employee well-being and fortify workplace satisfaction in the evolving professional landscape.”
The Happiness@Work Index is measured monthly through a survey conducted by Maru Public Opinion on behalf of ADP Canada. The survey involves over 1,200 randomly selected employed Canadian adults, including both employees and self-employed individuals.
