One in three Canadians happy at work: study

MONTREAL: Only one in three Canadians is 'very satisfied' at work and the country will face difficulties attracting new workers, according to a study.

"It should be of concern that only about one-third of all workers are very satisfied with their jobs and that fewer than one in five employees are very positive about multiple dimensions of job quality," the Canadian Policy Research Network said in its report published yesterday.

"The report provides solid Canadian evidence that the nature of a job and the environment in which people work are critical to achieving employee satisfaction," the report's author Graham Lowe wrote.
   
Lowe examined a number of job quality indicators and found a mixed picture.

Job security, earnings and workplace health and safety have improved in the past 15 years. But job satisfaction and job-related training have stalled with other indicators worsening, including job stress, work-life balance and union membership, the report said.

Three in 10 Canadians view their work as 'somewhat' or 'very stressful,' said the report which was released on the Labor Day holiday celebrated in North America.

With Canada's workforce aging, and skilled workers at a premium, the report says job quality will become increasingly important to retaining workers.

Some 55 percent of Canadians were 'well satisfied' with their jobs, said study, it said.

Canada depends on its immigrant workforce, as its own grows older. In 2006, 38 percent of the country's workers were over 45 years of age.