Back-to-school season means increased stress for Canadian workers

Three in 10 workers in Canada say the back-to-school season is increasing their stress at work, according to a new survey.

Thirty percent say the fall season increases their stress at work either a great deal or somewhat, while 27 percent say it has no effect on their stress levels at all.

Among those affected, the biggest impacts are: 

• increased workloads and responsibilities (24 percent)
• changes to daily commutes or routines (21 percent)
• higher financial expenses (18 percent). 

"The back-to-school season can add pressure to an already busy time for many workers, as shifting routines, workloads and financial demands compete for their attention," says Heather Haslam, vice-president of marketing at ADP Canada, which did the survey.

So, how can employers help? Respondents cite:

• flexible working hours (29 percent)
• remote or hybrid work options (17 percent)
• added flexibility for family responsibilities (16 percent).

Mental health troubles are already costing employers 46 working days a year per worker, according to a previous report. Stress management support is the clearest gap between what Canadian employees want from their workplaces and what they're actually getting, according to another study.

Work happiness shows improvement

The National Work Happiness Score for August 2026 stands at 6.9 out of 10, up 0.1 points from July 2026 and from August 2025, according to ADP Canada's monthly Happiness@Work Index, based on a survey of 1,832 randomly selected employed Canadian adults.

The Primary Indicator climbed 0.2 points to 7.2. Among secondary indicators. Compensation and Benefits rose 0.2 points to 6.5, Recognition and Support rose 0.1 points to 6.8, Work-Life Balance and Flexibility held steady at 7.0, and Options for Career Advancement remained unchanged at 6.3.

Roughly half of workers (51 percent) report satisfaction with their current role and responsibilities, and Work-Life Balance and Flexibility remains the top contributor to overall workplace happiness this month, even though that indicator itself held flat. 

Generational and regional gaps persist

Boomers remain the happiest generational cohort at 7.6 out of 10, up 0.2 points, while Gen Z and Gen X trail at 6.8 each. Millennials scored 7.0, also up 0.2 points.

Atlantic Canada leads regionally at 7.1, followed by Ontario and Quebec at 7.0 each. Alberta posted the largest gain, rising 0.4 points to 6.9.

British Columbia and Manitoba/Saskatchewan have the lowest regional scores at 6.7 each, down 0.2 and 0.1 points respectively from July.