One in Three (31%) Canadian Workers Say They're `Dragged Down By Negative Atmosphere at Work'

Toronto, ON - It appears that, for some, a negative workplace culture might be getting in the way of productivity, with a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of VPI Inc revealing that one in three (31%) Canadian workers agree (8% strongly/23% somewhat) that it's difficult for them to `concentrate fully on the task at hand' in their workplace because they're `dragged down by a negative atmosphere at work'.

Moreover, an equal proportion (31%) of workers `disagrees' (11% strongly/20% somewhat) that their employer `works hard to cultivate a positive working culture' and three in ten (30%) `disagree' (10% strongly/21% somewhat) that the atmosphere at their workplace `inspires them to work efficiently and productively'.

• Interestingly, workers aged 18 to 34 (37%) are much more likely than (30%), those aged 35 to 54 (30%) or those aged 55+ (20%) to believe they're dragged down by a negative atmosphere at work.

While one half (50%) of working Canadians say they `fit well' within their workplace's culture, the other half (50%) says they don't always fit in well. More than one in ten (12%) workers feel like an outsider with 9% indicating they don't really fit well `within their workplace's culture', and another 3% suggesting they are complete misfits, saying they `hate' the culture and `don't fit in well at all'. The remaining four in ten (38%) feel they fit in with their workplace's culture `most of the time'.

• Younger working Canadians (14%) and middle-aged workers (12%) are more likely than older Canadians (5%) to say they do not fit in well with the culture at their place of work.
• Workers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (14%) are by far most likely to say they do not fit in at work (28%) than those in Atlantic Canada (14%), Quebec (12%), Ontario (12%), Alberta (7%), and those in British Columbians (6%).

Though four in ten (41%) working Canadians say that working with their current employer is pretty much as they expected it to be, nearly a quarter (24%) feel their work experience is worse (7% much/17% a bit) than they expected it to be. Still, nearly four in ten (35%) say that the experience is better (19% much/17% a bit) than they thought it would be.

• Younger workers are more likely to be disappointed with their work experience than those who are older. Among those under 35, 28% say that their experience is worse than expected vs. just 9% of workers 55 and older.
• There are also significant regional differences, workers in the Saskatchewan/Manitoba region are more than twice as likely to report that their work experience is worse than expected (7% much/32% a bit) than those in Alberta (5% much/10% a bit).

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of VPI Inc from August 21 to August 26, 2008. This online survey of 1013 Canadian adults, of which 540 are employed, was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. An unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, for the entire sample, and +/- 4.5%, 19 times out of 20, for the sample of workers.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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