Study Links Canadian Productivity to Workplace Health
To address productivity stagnation in Canada, a new study suggests employers must support healthy workplace design, services, and culture. The research identifies these as key factors for improving workplace health and happiness, which in turn can boost employee productivity and business growth.
- The study builds on global findings that happy employees are 13% more productive; currently, 58% of Canadian workers rate their physical and mental health as good or excellent. - This research comes as Canada has experienced three consecutive years of declining labour productivity, with a 1.8% decrease in 2023 alone. - The productivity gap between Canada and the United States has been widening, with Canada's GDP per capita falling to 76% of U.S. levels in 2023. - Poor psychological health in the workplace costs the Canadian economy an estimated $51 billion annually, with work-related causes contributing to $20 billion of that amount. - A significant portion of the workforce is affected, with nearly half of employees globally reporting burnout and only one in five feeling engaged at work. - Financial stress is a major contributor to poor workplace health, with 56% of Canadian employees reporting reduced productivity due to financial concerns, costing an estimated $53.9 billion in lost productivity each year. - Younger generations are particularly focused on workplace well-being, with Millennials and Gen Z workers being twice as likely as Baby Boomers to prioritize a workplace culture that supports mental health. - Companies that do invest in employee well-being have seen tangible results, with an average productivity improvement of 13%.
