Happiness abounds among Canadian workers according to a BBC Canada Survey that reveals the majority of employed Canadians are happy in their current jobs. Conducted by Ipsos-Reid(*), the BBC Canada Survey indicates that nine in ten (88%) of working Canadians say they are happy at their jobs.
While the majority of respondents are happy, some employed Canadians tell a different story. When asked, one in ten (10%) respondents agree that they secretly hate their boss, while 11% admit they dread going to work each day because of their boss. Interestingly, working Canadians in Quebec are three times as likely (15%) as those in Alberta (5%) to say they secretly hate their
boss.
When asked about whether or not they would be willing to suck up to their boss to get ahead in their careers, almost one in ten (8%) employees agreed this is something they would be willing to do. Among those who agreed, men (10%) are slightly more likely than women (6%) to make nice with their boss if it would help their career. At 16%, younger workers are also more likely than
their middle aged (7%) counterparts to admit they would be willing to do this for career advancement.
Happy or miserable, those familiar with navigating life in an office will find amusement in BBC Canada’s The Office airing Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. Set in a paper-supply company in a London suburb, The Office revolves around the bumbling antics of boss David Brent (Ricky Gervais). Prone to wildly inappropriate behaviour like drinking at the office and telling appalling sexist and racist jokes, Brent’s cringe-inducing management style has taken British viewers and television critics by storm. The mockumentary-style sitcom was named Best TV Comedy at the 2002 British Comedy Awards and has earned rave reviews: “Beautifully observed…the freshest and most consistently clever comedy in years…you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll watch through the cracks of
your fingers.” Independent on Sunday.
Survey Methodology
(*) The poll was conducted in February 2003 by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of Alliance Atlantis Communications, with 468 employed Canadians, 18 years of age and older. The results are considered accurate to within +/-4.5%, 19 times out of twenty.