Study Links Workplace Health to Productivity in Canada
A new study on Canadian workplaces reveals that factors like healthy workplace design, services, and culture are key to employee happiness and business growth. The report suggests that to address productivity stagnation, employers must invest in these areas.
- The study, a collaboration between Sodexo Canada and Leger, is titled the "Workplace Wellness survey" and is accompanied by Sodexo's global whitepaper, "Healthy Places + Happy People". It aims to address the long-term stagnation of productivity growth in developed economies. - According to the research, happy employees are 13% more productive. While 58% of Canadian workers rate their physical and mental health as good or excellent, a significant portion reports their well-being as only fair (3 in 10) or poor/very poor (1 in 10). - The report's focus on productivity comes as Canadian business labor productivity saw a 0.9% increase in the third quarter of 2025, rebounding from a 1.0% decline in the previous quarter. This was the sixth quarterly increase in the last eight quarters. - Despite recent gains, Canada's long-term productivity growth has been sluggish, averaging 0.85% annually between 2000 and 2022, ranking it 28th out of 38 OECD countries. - Key drivers for Canadian employees' health and productivity are job security (48%), flexible work arrangements (37%), and a supportive work culture (26%). However, a recent survey by UFCW Canada found that nearly 4 in 10 workers feel their workplace mental health supports are inadequate. - Financial stress is a major factor impacting productivity, with over 61% of Canadian employees citing money as their top source of stress in 2025. Financially stressed employees are five times more likely to be distracted at work, costing businesses an estimated $1,000 per employee annually in lost productivity. - There is a disconnect between employer efforts and employee perception regarding well-being initiatives. While 93% of HR professionals say their companies have taken steps to improve employee well-being, only 38% of employees have noticed these initiatives.
