--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/the-current-state-of-research-on-the-two-way-linkages-between-productivity-and-well-being/" title: "The Current State of Research on the Two-way Linkages between Productivity and Well-being" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T10:13:19+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T10:13:19+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "GDP" - "health" - "ILO" - "living standards" - "productivity" - "productivity slowdown" - "subjective well-being" - "two-way linkages" - "well-being" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "National" research_theme: - "Economic Well-Being" - "Productivity and Economic Measurement" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # The Current State of Research on the Two-way Linkages between Productivity and Well-being Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/the-current-state-of-research-on-the-two-way-linkages-between-productivity-and-well-being/ # The Current State of Research on the Two-way Linkages between Productivity and Well-being [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2022-03-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Sharpe, Andrew, and Shahrzad Mobasher Fard. 2022. “The Current State of Research on the Two-way Linkages between Productivity and Well-being.” CSLS Research Report 2022-03. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/the-current-state-of-research-on-the-two-way-linkages-between-productivity-and-well-being/ ## Authors: - Andrew Sharpe Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Shahrzad Mobasher Fard World Bank Group ## Report 2022-03 March 2022 46 pages ## Related research [Measuring the Appropriate Outcomes for Better Decision-Making: A Framework to Guide the Analysis of Health Policy Matthew Calver March 2016 | Report 2016-03 | 132 pages](https://csls.ca/research/measuring-the-appropriate-outcomes-for-better-decision-making-a-framework-to-guide-the-analysis-of-health-policy-2016-03/) [Living Standards Domain of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing Andrew Sharpe, Christopher Ross November 2011 | Report 2011-17 | 124 pages](https://csls.ca/research/living-standards-domain-of-the-canadian-index-of-wellbeing-2011-17/) [The Canada-U.S. Income Gap Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2000 | Report 2000-01 | 6 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-canada-u-s-income-gap/) [A Comparison of Canadian and U.S. Labour Market Performance, 1989-2000 Andrew Sharpe April 2001 | Report 2001-01 | 29 pages](https://csls.ca/research/a-comparison-of-canadian-and-u-s-labour-market-performance-1989-2000/) [Raising Canadian Living Standards: A Framework for Discussion Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) October 2002 | Report 2002-td | 56 pages](https://csls.ca/research/raising-canadian-living-standards-a-framework-for-discussion/) [Productivity Trends in Natural Resources Industries in Canada Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-01a | 69 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-in-natural-resources-industries-in-canada/) [Productivity in the Forest Products Sector: A Review of the Literature Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-02 | 28 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-in-the-forest-products-sector-a-review-of-the-literature/) [An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Forest Products Sector in Canada Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-01b | 64 pages](https://csls.ca/research/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-forest-products-sector-in-canada/) [Why Are Americans More Productive Than Canadians? Andrew Sharpe June 2003 | Report 2003-03 | 83 pages](https://csls.ca/research/why-are-americans-more-productive-than-canadians/) [Human Well-being and Economic Well-being: What Values Are Implicit in Current Indices? Lars Osberg, Andrew Sharpe August 2003 | Report 2003-04 | 60 pages](https://csls.ca/research/human-well-being-and-economic-well-being-what-values-are-implicit-in-current-indices/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn Interest in the topic of well-being has burgeoned in recent years as the weaknesses of gross domestic prod-uct (GDP) per capita as a proxy for well-being have become more apparent. At the same time, the global economy has experienced a productivity slowdown. Since productivity growth is recognized as being by far the most important long-term source of sustainable gains in living standards, this development has impli-cations for the future of living standards around the world. These two developments raise a number of issues related to the two-way linkages between productivity and well-being. First, does slower productivity growth constitute a significant threat to the betterment of the well-being of the world’s population, and, if so, by how much? Second, given that many indicators of well-being can have positive effects on productivity, should one aspect of any strategy to revive productivity growth be to focus on policies that improve well-being? The objective of this report is to survey the current state of research on the two-way linkages between productivity and well-being. L’intérêt pour le sujet du bien-être s’est considérablement accru ces dernières années, à mesure que les faiblesses du produit intérieur brut (PIB) par habitant comme indicateur du bien-être sont devenues plus évidentes. Parallèlement, l’économie mondiale a connu un ralentissement de la productivité. Étant donné que la croissance de la productivité est reconnue comme étant de loin la source la plus importante de gains durables à long terme du niveau de vie, cette évolution a des répercussions sur l’avenir du niveau de vie à l’échelle mondiale. Ces deux phénomènes soulèvent plusieurs questions concernant les liens bidirectionnels entre la productivité et le bien-être. Premièrement, le ralentissement de la croissance de la productivité constitue-t-il une menace importante pour l’amélioration du bien-être de la population mondiale et, le cas échéant, dans quelle mesure? Deuxièmement, étant donné que de nombreux indicateurs du bien-être peuvent avoir des effets positifs sur la productivité, une stratégie de relance de la croissance de la productivité devrait-elle accorder une place aux politiques qui améliorent le bien-être? L’objectif de ce rapport est de dresser un bilan de l’état actuel de la recherche sur les liens bidirectionnels entre la productivité et le bien-être. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2022-03-1.pdf)