ADP index holds at 6.9 as health coverage and paid time off top worker priorities
Nearly one in six workers in Canada remain neutral about their employee benefits, 13 percent say they are dissatisfied, even as the majority report being satisfied.
The ADP Canada's May 2026 Happiness@Work Index held the national work happiness score at 6.9 out of 10, unchanged from April and up 0.1 points from May 2025.
Extended health coverage ranked as the top benefit priority for 53 percent of workers, followed by paid time off beyond the statutory minimum (49 percent) and retirement savings plans (48 percent).
Work-Life Balance and Flexibility remained the leading driver of overall satisfaction at 7.0 out of 10, while Compensation and Benefits scored lowest among secondary indicators at 6.4 out of 10.
Heather Haslam, vice president of marketing at ADP Canada, said workers are prioritising benefits that support their health, finances, and work-life balance, and that employers should align benefits packages with "employees' evolving needs and expectations."
Regionally, Québec led all provinces at 7.1 out of 10, while Atlantic Canada dropped 0.4 points to 6.8 after ranking first in April.
Ontario recorded the lowest score at 6.7 out of 10.
By generation, Boomers remained the happiest cohort at 7.6 out of 10, while Gen X posted 6.8, its first increase since November 2025.
The index carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percent, 19 times out of 20. The next release is scheduled for June 24, 2026.
