For more on the current state of Canada’s DB plans, check out our 2015 Top 100 Pension Funds Report

Health Byte

Drink Up!

Ignore all the talk about coffee being bad for you. Japan’s National Cancer Center recently announced that, based on a long-term study it conducted, coffee can actually lower the risk of dying from heart disease and cerebrovascular conditions, which affect blood circulation to the brain.

Recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study followed 90,914 Japanese people between the ages of 40 and 69 for 19 years, on average. When the study began, the participants had no history of cancer, cerebrovascular disease or heart conditions.

During the study, 12,874 participants died. Researchers found participants who regularly had three to four cups of coffee a day were 24% less likely to die from health issues, 36% less likely to develop heart conditions and 43% less likely to suffer from cerebrovascular diseases.

Why is coffee good for you? Likely due to its bioactive compounds, the study says. Caffeine improves the function of blood vessels’ inner lining, chlorogenic acid lowers blood pressure, and pyridinium has antithrombotic effects.

So don’t worry about providing coffee during work meetings or taking a coffee break when you need one— but make sure your employees aren’t spending all of their time hanging around the coffee machine. And make healthy sweeteners, such as agave syrup, available so they’re not loading up on refined sugar.

Talk from our Twitter Feed

CAMH Research
“Despite a high rate of #depression, older adults are 56% less likely to be diagnosed with depression.”

Bill Tufts
“Imagine using surplus taxpayer money to fund roads, healthcare and infrastructure rather than gold-plated pensions.”

WorldatWork
“We can pick up negativity, stress and anxiety like second-hand smoke.”

PayPeopleProperly
“Remarkable leaders communicate change through conversation, not presentations.”

Bloomberg
“3.5 billion euros are due to the [European Central Bank] on July 20. How long can Greece carry on?”

Achievers.com
“Your employees will perform better if you give them time to disconnect.

Events

DC Investment Forum Oct. 8 & 9, 2015 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toronto

Our 2015 DC Investment Forum brings together senior representatives from the country’s largest DC pension plans as well as leading providers. The theme is DC Investing in a Low-growth Environment.

Although hikes are on the horizon, interest rates remain low, and sluggish economic growth is expected to continue for the near term. In an environment of high volatility in equity markets and rising bond yields, what’s a DC investor to do? What investment strategies can help DC investors succeed, both in the short term and over the long term?

Topics could include:

  • New approaches to the DC default
  • Alternatives/non-traditional investments
  • Global DC plan design trends
  • Continuing evolution of target-date funds
  • Decumulation and DC plan members

Find more information on this and other industry events at benefitscanada.com/conferences

The month in numbers

61% — the global engagement level for front-line employees in 2014,  compared with global engagement levels of 67% for middle managers, and 76% for executives and senior leaders

— Aon Hewitt’s Trends in Global Employee Engagement study

41% of Canadian employees say they’ve gained weight at their current job—primarily due to sitting at a desk for most of the day

— 2015 survey by CareerBuilder.ca

12% — last year’s annual increase in spending on specialty drugs in Canada

— Express Scripts Canada’s 2014 Drug Trend Report

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